Halloween (With Walking Dead characters)
by TeamCarlisle
Summary: Michael Myers is loose in Haddonfield. Main characters are: Negan, Rick, Carl, Michonne, Carol, Daryl and some OCs.
1. Home Alone

Nicole couldn't think of it as a coincidence; she couldn't ignore it. Not when the same green station wagon she had seen earlier that day sat dormant by the curb.

She had no idea how long it had been parked out in front of the home where she volunteered to house sit. Aside from the family's beagle she was alone, and an eerie feeling made the hair stand up on the back of her neck when she imagined the intentions of the stranger behind the tinted windows of the strange vehicle.

Paranoia crept in as she sat by the front window under the cover of darkness staring out toward desolate street.

What did he want? Why was he parked out front?

Questions swirled in Nicole's mind and she felt frozen. The one that spooked her the most was: why? There were a limited number of answers as to why someone would follow a young woman and then park outside of the house where she resided. All of them were disturbing and left an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Shit..." Nicole swallowed hard and felt compelled to sit by the window. A memory of the opening scene from Scream flashed through her mind and she tried her hardest to think rational.

She glanced over her shoulder toward the corner of the living room and eyed a wooden baseball bat. Without another thought Naomi hurried away from the window to retrieve it and then prepared to sit perched by the window for as long as the car lurked.

Since high school she had been babysitting or house sitting to make money. As a college graduate she hated how that fear of a stranger breaking in had not even remotely subsided. It was surely irrational and unlikely, she knew, though the thought still haunted her at twenty-three years old in the same way it did when she was sixteen.

Nicole closed her eyes for a moment in an attempt to curb her anxiety. She tried to thinking of a happy memory, counting down from ten and a few other methods she had Googled in the past.

A faint jingling sound made her eyes snap open and she abruptly rose to her feet. Nicole eyed the thin silver handle on the front door as it slowly rocked from side to side.

No... Nicole closed her eyes again for a brief moment and then reopened them. The handle continued to turn with a polite consistency as if not to disturb whoever was inside.

She raised the bat above her shoulder and took a step in the direction of the front door. Realistically Nicole didn't know what she would do if an intruder actually walked in.

It's locked, she reminded herself though the notion didn't make her feel any better. Someone was attempting to slip quietly into the house uninvited.

When a loud click sounded off she almost thought she was in the midst of a nightmare. Inch by inch the door creaked open and all she could do was wait.

Nicole felt the thud of her heartbeat in her ears and then the worst thing she could imagine happened.

Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! Her body froze. A wave of panic reddened her face and left a paralyzing tightness in her chest just as the door eased open.

"Hello..." a deep, scratchy voice greeted.

Nicole stared straight ahead, her body still aching with fear as a man entered the home. He glanced over to where she stood like a statue gripping the bat with white knuckles and a smile spread over his face in Cheshire Cat-like fashion.

"Negan?" A warmth spread through her limbs and her body relaxed. Naomi's hands ached as she loosened her grip on the wooden handle.

"What the hell are you doing honey?" He let out a chuckle and gently closed the door behind him, securing the lock.

"I thought..." she swallowed hard and let her body completely relax. "I thought you were away with your wife... that's why I'm watching the house."

Negan continued to grin and reached a hand down, accepting the bat from hers and ran his other hand over the trim beard he sported.

"She's away," he corrected without elaboration, holding her gaze.

"Oh..." Nicole swallowed hard and felt her face grow a shade darker. The fear she had been feeling subsided when he kicked off his shoes.

"I didn't see you pull up."

"Neighbors do a lot of talking." Negan let out a huff of a laugh. "I parked down at the dead end. I'll move it into the garage when it's late."

Negan let out a long, decompressing sigh. As the adrenaline of the moment wore off she felt her body begin to relax.

"Someone... someone's parked outside," she said in a voice just above a whisper.

Negan squinted his eyes and then pulled the curtains back. His eyes shifted from side to side as he scanned the street in front of the house. "Where?" He asked.

Nicole joined him by the window and felt the conflicting emotions of relief and fear when she saw that the station wagon had disappeared.

"It... it was right there," she pointed with her index finger. "A green station wagon. I saw it earlier too. You don't think-"

Negan leaned in and kissed her, pulling her toward him by the cheek as he cupped the side of her face with one hand.

Nicole kissed him back for a moment until his grin separated their lips. "Negan you don't think... could someone be following me... or us?"

He laughed out loud and tapped under her chin with his first two fingers. "That's movie shit honey." Negan looked back out the window and then drew the curtain back into place. He smiled wide again, highlighting a set of dimples beneath his perfectly trimmed facial hair. "Probably someone who was visiting a neighbor or something."

Nicole took a deep breath and then gave a subtle nod.

"Look if this is too much-" he began but she immediately cut him off.

"It's not." Nicole shook her head and then subconsciously reached for the string on his hoodie that hung against his chest. She toyed with it a moment and then finally managed a smile. "I... sometimes being alone in someone else's house like this just freaks me out, I guess."

Negan snaked his fingers through the belt loops on her jeans and guided her back to him, connecting their lips again. "Well you're not alone anymore."

Nicole felt desire replacing the anxiousness and fear that had paralyzed her body a moment before and melted against him. She disregarded her feelings of paranoia as some underlying guilt for sleeping with a married man.

Negan sat back on the couch and reached for both of her hands. He gave a gentle tug, prompting Nicole to sit on his lap as they continued to make out on the couch.

Nicole sighed into a long kiss and felt him do the same.

"You wanna ride Daddy's dick?" He whispered against her lips.

Nicole eagerly slipped her tongue back into his mouth, moaning as she did and let out a deep breath through her nose as they parted.

Rather than reply she shimmied down her black yoga pants, maintaining eye contact with Negan as she purposely took her time. When his Adam's apple moved up and down in his throat she couldn't help but grin.

"Mmm..." he gave a small smile back and unfastened his belt.

Nicole straddled him before he could remove his pants and kissed him hard again, grinding against his pelvis as she did.

Negan leaned his head back against the couch cushion. "You didn't answer my question."

"Ask me again," she whispered.

Negan held her gaze and gripped her hips as he repeated his question as a demand. "Ride my dick baby."

Nicole looked down, taking the top button on his pants between her thumb and index finger before regaining eye contact as she unclasped it.

"I'll take your lack of response as a yes," he teased.

Nicole managed a light laugh and pulled his zipper down as Negan outstretched his arms to either side along the back of the couch.

The sound of breaking glass by the front door made both of them jump and Nicole put her hand over her chest.

"What was that?" She looked at Negan who's face clung with as much shock as hers.

"Stay here." He rose to his feet and zipped up his pants, listening intently as he slowly paced to the front door.

Nicole swallowed hard, not feeling quite as crazy about the station wagon out front as she watched Negan ease his way across the room. When he opened the front door her heart rate picked up.

Negan looked up at the light fixture that hung by the door and pressed his eyebrows together angrily when he saw the bulb had been shattered and the display hung crooked against the house.

"Fucking kids," he mumbled to himself.

"What is it?" Nicole asked, not masking the fear in her voice. She pulled a blanket over her lap.

Negan shouted aloud. "Come back again and I'll bask your fuckin' heads in!"

"Negan..."

He slammed the door and locked it before switching his gaze back to Nicole. "I used to love mischief night as a kid. Now I fucking hate it."

"What happened?"

"Someone shattered the light bulb and bailed." He made his way back to her and placed his hands on the back of the couch behind where she sat, capturing her lips again.

Nicole kissed him back for a second and then forced him to look her in the eye. "I have a bad feeling. That car-"

"It's kids doll." Negan kissed her again, this time drawing his lips down her neck. "Besides... I can fuckin' tune up anyone who's stupid enough to try to fuckin' break in here." He smiled to try easing her mind and then removed the blanket from her lap. Negan repositioned his lips so they hung by her ear, "Now... ride Daddy's dick."

Nicole took a breath and smiled, closing her eyes when he kissed her hard again. Before she could respond there was a knock at the front door.

"Mother fucker..." Negan pushed away from her angrily and stormed toward the front door. Nicole held her breath as he flung it open.


	2. Late Night Visitor

Nicole's heart was pounding in the seconds leading up to the big reveal of who was on the other side of the door. When Negan gave a hearty laugh she let her guard down while laying back under the blanket in her half-dressed attire.

"Rick Grimes." His voice was loud and jovial. "You come here because you and the rest of the Haddonfield police caught the little prick who just smashed my light up?"

"Actually..." he cleared his throat and paused. "Can we come inside for a minute?"

Negan gave a subtle glance over to Nicole and then headed out the front door. "Why don't I come out."

He closed the door behind him and headed onto the front porch. A smile spread across his face when he saw Rick's son Carl standing off to the side eyeing the ground.

"Well what do we have here?" Negan asked amused. He smiled as Carl looked up and then turned back to Rick. "Don't tell me your boy is responsible for this." Negan motioned to the broken light without looking at it.

Rick glanced at his son for a moment, clenching his jaw with utmost disapproval and embarrassment. "He's going to replace it for you." He continued to glare at his son while speaking with Negan. "And now he's not going out tomorrow night for Halloween."

"Dad come on!" Carl began but Rick immediately silenced him.

"They can press charges for damaged property," he went on. "And that means I arrest you."

"Whoa easy there chief." Negan smiled wide again. "I'm not going to be the guy who makes a father arrest his son over some dumb light fixture bullshit." He glanced at Carl. "I did dumb shit like this when I was sixteen too, kid. But boy are you fucking up my night."

"I'll send him by tomorrow with the replacement," Rick promised.

Negan eyed the broken light and tapped it with his fingers. "Home Depot, forty bucks. Don't sweat it." He nodded toward Carl. "Next time you do shit like this don't get caught... especially by your old man. I mean what the fuck kid?"

Carl almost flashed a grin but he fought it off and then cleared his throat. "We'll be by tomorrow." He looked at his father.

"You'll be by tomorrow," Rick corrected.

"Does that mean I get the car?"

Negan let out a louder laugh and smacked Carl on the shoulder before pointing at Rick. "Your kid is funny as shit, you know that?"

"He'll be by tomorrow," Rick repeated.

Negan continued to get a kick out of the situation and smiled wide again. "Don't get caught sneaking out tomorrow night," he said to Carl. "I know you're going to try." Negan raised his eyebrows at Rick. "Happy Halloween Rick. Lights out so don't come knocking again unless you got a costume and a pillow case looking for some candy or shit." He laughed at himself and then reopened the door, returning his attention to Carl. "Night kid."

Negan re-entered the house as Rick pulled Carl with him off the porch. He laughed to himself again and locked the door before returning his attention to Nicole.

"I told you it was kids." He raised his eyebrows. "And the sheriff's kid no less."

She laughed, feeling a bout of relief. "I heard."

Negan approached her again and kissed her once on the lips before sitting beside her on the couch. "Now will you let your fuckin' guard down honey?"

Nicole smiled when he snaked a hand beneath the blanket and undid his pants with the other.

"Do you want to go down the hall?" She asked him.

Negan shoved his pants down so they fell around his ankles and pulled her back on top of him where he sat so they were face to face. "I think we're doing fine right here."

Nicole wrapped her arms around the back of his neck, smiling as He chuckled and pulled her lips back to his. She let the station wagon fade to the back of her mind as she indulged in her desires for Negan. 


	3. Statue

**Hey all, thanks for following :) Just trying this out for the Halloween season and then I'll be back to my other unfinished stories. Happy (early) Halloween!**

* * *

It was the first time Nicole had woken up in Negan's home. Their typical hookups were at her apartment or occasionally in the back of his truck at some remote location. The fact that he had invited her to stay left her feeling both elated and uneasy.

Nicole glanced over at the empty space in the bed next to her and then felt an instant rush of relief when Negan exited the adjacent bathroom with a white towel wrapped around his waist.

"Hey." He smiled wide and ran a hand through his semi-slicked hair. "Happy Halloween honey."

She snickered. "Yeah you too."

"What are you up to tonight?" Negan made his way toward a tall, black dresser that matched the rest of the bedroom furniture and removed a set of boxer shorts.

"Probably going back to my little apartment alone... I'll sit alone and eat the bucket of candy I got for the zero trick-or-treaters that come to my lame complex and sip in some boxes wine." Nicole sighed. "Maybe watch a scary movie."

"That's too bad." Negan dropped the towel and threw on his underwear. "I was kind of hoping I'd have the honor of spending the evening here with you."

She smiled. "Well I can change my plans."

"It's make my fuckin' day if you did."

"Okay." She tossed the covers to the side and rose to her feet, snatching up the pants and shirt she had worn the night before from the floor. "What about..."

"Lucille?" He asked. When Nicole nodded he ran a hand across his forehead a moment. "She... uh... well she's not away exactly. She moved in with her sister."

"What?"

"Papers aren't signed but..." Negan shrugged.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Nicole raised her eyebrows.

"Heavy shit, honey." He smiled. "Lately you're all I have for some genuine laughs and a good time. I didn't want to ruin that shit... for either of us."

"Really?"

Negan crossed the room and left a kiss on her lips. "Do you want to go to dinner tonight first?" When she smiled wide he added, "You know... before we come back and fuck?"

"Like a date?" Nicole couldn't contain the girly tone in her voice that she loathed so much.

Negan chuckled. "Sure doll."

"Well then yes... I'd like that." Nicole accepted another kiss. "Am I that fucked up to say yes? You're still married."

"Hey I'm fucked up too so maybe we're a good fuckin' fit." He smacked her ass and winked. "I gotta go to work for a couple hours... over time. You have the extra key. Shower, make yourself some cereal, feed the dog if you don't mind. Just lock up on the way out."

Nicole was happy to play house wife. She nodded. "I will."

"Meet you back here tonight at six?"

"Sounds good to me." Nicole kissed him another time.

"Don't rush getting out of here. Little Carl Grimes might be coming by to fix that light. If you cross paths with him..."

"I'm dog sitting," she finished.

"Well I was going to say tell him to keep his teenage hands to himself." He chuckled.

Nicole smiled at him again and then strolled across the room toward the bathroom. As she passed a window that overlooked the neighbor's yard she stopped for a moment and did a double-take.

Staring up at the window from below amongst a collection of sheets blowing on a close line was a man in an all-black jumpsuit and a white mask. He didn't move and gave off the aura of an eerie statue more than a human.

"Negan..." she turned to him as he combed back his hair in the mirror above a bureau.

"Yeah." He made eye contact with her in the reflection at first and then turned when he saw the look on her face. "What's wrong?"

"There's a... someone's next door."

Negan joined her by the window and looked around, eyeing the empty back yard.

"He was... a man was back there in a mask." Nicole pointed, feeling frustrated by the abandoned back yard.

Negan smiled as he turned to her. "It's Halloween baby."

"He was just staring up here."

He toyed with the strap on her bra. "I would too."

Nicole laughed for a moment but then grew more serious. "He was wearing that white mask. The mask worn by-"

"Michael Myers." Negan finished her sentence with a grin. He toyed with her bra straps again. "We can give the fucker a show."

"He died... right?"

Negan saw that Nicole was genuinely freaked out and looked her in the eye. "Yeah."

"I just... I know what I just saw. He was right out there."

"I wouldn't doubt if it was the Grimes kid again," Negan told her. "Remember how freaked out you were last night? Look how that turned out."

Nicole nodded and ran a hand through her hair and then smiled. "Yeah... yeah I have to stop with the paranoid bullshit."

Negan winked and kissed her again. "You never have to worry when you're with me doll."

"As you're about to leave." She swallowed hard.

"I can stay until-"

"No, no..." Nicole shook her head. "I'm being ridiculous. Go."

"All you have to do is take this shit off and I'll fuckin' stay he teased."

She laughed and shook her head. "I want to but... go to work. I'll be fine."

"You sure?" Negan glanced out the window again.

"I'm sure."

He winked and then went to finish getting dressed.

Nicole stood by the window for an extra second and stared at the blowing curtains. She shook her head and then headed into the bathroom to take a shower.


	4. One Good Scare

**RIP Scott Wilson... one of my TWD alltime favs...**

* * *

Negan hammered a nail into part of a broken set for a float in the Halloween parade. He stared up at a giant, blow up Dracula that sat on top of a wooden perch.

"Did Carl come by?" Rick approached where Negan worked outside on the town green.

"Shit!" He purposely over exaggerated a jump scare. "Don't sneak up on me with a hammer in my hand."

"Did he?"

Negan leaned an arm on the platform and smiled wide. "Now I don't know why the fuck you give me an attitude when I didn't say 'boo' to your kid wrecking my property." He nodded, "But no he didn't while I was home but I have someone taking care of my dog so I said to keep an eye out."

"I'm sure you do."

"I do." Negan smiled again and then continued with his work. "Your kid doesn't happen to have a Michael Myers mask does he?"

Rick put his hands on his hips. "Do I look like I want him accidentally shot?"

"I'm just asking because there was someone lurking around my property this morning wearing one."

Before Rick could answer an older gentleman approached them. "That wasn't the sheriff's son." The two of them turned as the man approached before he went on. "A car was stolen two days ago from Smiths Grove mental hospital."

"Well I'm afraid that's out of Ricky Dicky Do-Dah's jurisdiction," Negan told the stranger with a chuckle. He continued on with his work.

"Well it might be in your jurisdiction soon enough. I'm Hershel Greene... I was his doctor."

"Who's?" Rick asked and then introduced himself with a handshake. "Rick Grimes."

"Michael Myers."

Negan stopped what he was doing and turned to him. "You're the badass that shot him."

"Regretfully," Hershel responded.

"Well we'll look for the vehicle," Rick assured him. "I'm sorry it was stolen."

"It's not the vehicle that I'm worried about sherif. It's what's coming for this town tonight."

"And what's that?" Rick asked.

"The never found his body... you know that right?" Hershel saw the skepticism in Negan's smile. "There's nothing funny about it son."

"I just don't believe in fuckin' ghosts... forgive me Doc."

"When did you see him?"

Negan stared more intently at Hershel. "Are you going senile or some shit?"

"Do you have other people there at your home? Because if you saw him they could be in immediate danger."

Negan stared at Hershel more intently and Rick intervened. "Michael Myers died back in '78."

"One would think." Hershel replied. "I'm not here to start a panic. I just want you to keep an extra eye out... Tell the men on your force to keep their mouths shut and their eyes open." He glanced back at Negan.

"I'm going to take my fuckin' cigarette break." He turned his back on the two of them and reached in the pocket of his hooded sweatshirt to retrieve a pack of cigarettes before wandering down the cobblestone walkway.

When he felt he was out of an ear shot of the two men he reached for his cell phone and called Nicole.

...x

"Hello..." Nicole answered the phone and reached down to pet the beagle who brushed up against her leg.

"Nic... you haven't seen that fucker again have you? From this morning?"

"No." She swallowed hard having distracted herself enough to put it out of her mind. "Why?"

The dog began to bark and ran toward the front door, prompting Nicole to rise to her feet.

"Just... keep an eye out," he told her.

" Is something actually wrong? Should I be-"

"Some guy is down here talking about a stolen car and some shit."

"Was it a station wagon?" Nicole felt her cheeks grow hot and then headed toward the door where the dog began to claw as it continued to bark.

"I'll ask him," Negan told her. "Just... be careful. Call the cops if you see that fuckin' guy again."

Nicole focused on the front door and tiptoed the rest of the way. She swallowed hard and went against her instincts, pulling the door open to let the dog go investigate whatever it was drawn to. When she pulled the door open she let out a loud scream.

"Nicole!" Negan shouted on the other end. "Nicole!"

She continued to alternate her screams with the person on the other side of the door until it registered in her mind that she was face-to-face with Carl.

"Holy shit..." she put a hand on her forehead as his jaw dropped open in awe from the shock of the moment.

"Nicole..." Negan's voice continued to summon her desperately from the receiver.

"Negan, I'm sorry." She huffed a deep breath and then laughed. "The dog was sniffing something out." Nicole looked Carl in the eye and let out another decompressing breath. "I heard something on the porch and it's just Carl."

"So I fuckin' tell you to be careful and you go out to investigate a strange noise on the porch after seeing a man wearing a mask in the neighbors yard... that's a special kind of stupid."

His tone was scared and angry. Nicole couldn't blame him. "I know... I just..."

"I'm sorry doll," he said right away. "This fucker got me spooked over here. I just want to make sure you're alright honey."

"I'm okay," she assured him.

"Do me a favor. When the kid leaves come down to the center of town. I'm workin on shit for the parade down here."

"Okay." Nicole was more than happy to go see him but she knew he wouldn't have asked her to come by while he was working unless he was legitimately worried.

"Thanks. Text me when you leave."

"I will." Nicole hung up and turned her attention back to Carl. "I'm sorry," she said to him with a laugh. "You scared me."

"Well it's Halloween," he said with a smile. "Everyone's entitled to one good scare."


	5. Totally

Carl finished putting up the new lighting fixture and then gave a knock on the front door to signal Nicole that he was done.

When she opened it he motioned upward to show her his work.

"Can you text a picture of it to Negan?" He asked.

"Sure." Nicole took out her phone and snapped a quick photo.

"That dog doesn't stop barking," Carl complained.

"Well he's a beagle. They're hunting dogs. It's what they do." She glanced around the yard and gave a whistle before venturing out to go round him up with Carl at her heels.

"Lucky!" She shouted the dog's name.

"What are you doing here?" Carl asked as they rounded the side of the house.

"Dog sitting," Nicole answered.

"Yeah, ok." Carl let out a laugh prompting Nicole to look back at him. Rather than indulge in the conversation she called out for the dog again.

"He's over there by the neighbor's fence." Carl pointed and the two of them went to investigate what the dog was barking at.

"Lucky..." Nicole called his name again as they grew closer and this time the dog trotted over to her.

"Go see what he was barking at," Carl said.

"You go see," she challenged with a laugh. Almost immediately the funny nature of the situation died off as she imagined the man in the mask. "Hey Carl, you weren't screwing around this morning were you... like trying to scare people by wearing Michael Myers mask?"

He shook his head. "I got in enough trouble last night. I'm working on trying to get my privileges back so I can go out tonight. My dad's working so I think I can convince Michonne to let me go."

"She's your dad's girlfriend?"

He nodded. "She's cool."

"Well good luck." Nicole scooped up the dog and was about to head back but turned when Carl headed toward the fence. "What are you doing?"

"Seeing what's behind here." He raised his eyebrows.

"No... come on." Nicole waved a hand, suddenly spooked again.

"That's no fun." He darted away toward the fence and Nicole watched as he disappeared around it.

For a moment she stood there with her hand on her hip and the dog under her other arm. When Carl didn't immediately return she shook her head. "Carl! What are you doing?" There was no answer. "Carl!"

Nicole waited and looked around the empty yard. The hair raised on the back of her neck as she stood parallel to the wind-tossed curtains in the neighbor's back yard. Her eyes then shifted toward the upstairs window of Negan's bedroom where she had been looking out that morning.

"Carl!" Nicole shouted his name another time and cursed under her breath when he didn't respond. "Damn it kid..." she marched toward the fence without slowing down and despite the hesitation as she approached Nicole pushed past that fear and rounded the corner.

"Boo!" Carl waited for her just around the corner and laughed when she jumped.

Nicole shook her head. "That's not funny."

"Did you think Michael Myers got me?"

She rolled her eyes and then pulled him by the arm. "Keep it up and I'll have Negan tell your dad that you were still messing around."

"Fine, fine..." Carl put up his hands in defeat and Nicole smiled to herself as they walked back toward the front of the house.

"Look I've got to go," Nicole told him, escorting the dog back inside. She felt for her keys in her pocket. "Are you all done here?"

Carl nodded and then his face twisted in such a way that Nicole could tell he had something on the tip of his tongue to say.

"What?" She asked.

"Can I get ride down to the parade? My dad made me walk here."

The adult in Nicole wanted to ask if he was allowed to go to the parade but her youthfulness won her over as she remembered the joys of being in high school. Despite Carl's wrongdoing she wanted to see him enjoy the day. "Sure."

"Really? Thanks!"

"Just... don't get yourself in more trouble when we get down there."

Carl put one hand on his chest and raised the other. "I promise."

Nicole laughed and waved her with him. "Come on..."

The two of them piled into the car and she began to back the car out of the driveway. As they pulled away Carl caught a glimpse of someone walking out by the fence that separated the two yards.

For a brief second he contemplated telling Nicole, though he decided it was probably the neighbor and didn't feel like getting in trouble again if they saw him wandering around on their property. With that, he turned up the radio and leaned back in the seat.

"So are you guys dating?" Carl asked, turning to her. "You and Negan."

"Do you have a girlfriend?" She challenged him, again not wanting to get into the logistics of their relationship.

"Why, you interested?" He joked with a laugh. "Relax I'm kidding."

"I'll make you walk."

"I like a girl... her name's Enid. We were supposed to hang out tonight but now I probably can't."

"Well maybe you shouldn't have been throwing rocks at peoples houses."

"They were with me," he argued. "I just didn't want to rat them out, ya know?"

"Who's they?"

"Enid and Ron." He shrugged. "We were just seeing who could hit the light first... I mean no offense but Negan is kind of a dick so that's why we chose his house."

"Well he totally let you off the hook... so he can't be that bad."

"Totally!" Carl said back, laughing again as he continued to tease her. He then pointed up the way. "Hey it's Michonne. Can we stop for a second?"

"Sure." Nicole squinted. "What's going on?" She pulled the car to a halt by the sidewalk and Carl rolled down the window.

"Michonne!" He shouted.

She turned, marching over to him sporting her police uniform. "Carl... what are you doing?" Michonne leaned her head down and waved to Nicole.

"What happened?" He asked, taking in the collection of officers and broken glass on a store window.

"Someone broke into the hardware store... and the the CVS. All they took was some rope, knives... a costume or two. Probably kids."

"You blame everything on kids." Carl smiled.

"Speaking if that... did you fix Negan's light like your father asked."

"Yeah." Carl turned with a smirk to Nicole, "His dog walker offered to give me a ride to the center of town."

"Perfect... your dad's there now. You can tell him yourself." Michonne winked at him. "Tell him I sent you if he asks why you're not at home."

"Thanks Michonne." Carl smiled. "Think you can talk him into letting me out tonight?"

"Don't push it." She grinned and gave a wave. "I'll see you later on."

Carl waved and Nicole did the same before putting the car back in drive. Neither of them noticed the green station wagon behind them.


	6. Cabernet

"Do you know what day it is sherif?" Hershel asked. "Do you know the date?"

"Look, I have enough to worry about on Halloween night in this town," Rick told him firmly. "I can't have my force out here looking for a ghost."

Nicole approached where Negan stood with Rick and Hershel with Carl at her heels.

"We are talking about evil on two legs," Hershel went on. "He stole a car from Smith's Grove last night. Judith Myers' headstone is missing! Mark my words he is here or he is coming here."

"Hey..." Nicole greeted Negan and pressed her eyebrows together upon hearing Hershel's latest claims. She lowered her voice. "What's going on?"

"Are you the one that saw him?" Hershel approached them.

Nicole raised her eyebrows. "Me?"

"Michael Myers... this morning in the yard."

Nicole looked to Negan who shot the man daggers. "He's not... he's dead... right?"

"He's here and if we don't stop him we'll have a repeat of 1978 on our hands."

"You said a car was stolen," Nicole indulged in the man's story. "What kind of car was it?"

"A green station wagon with-"

"Writing on the side," Nicole finished.

"You've seen it," Hershel suspected. He eyed Negan. "Don't let her out of your sight the rest of the day. She may very well be in grave danger."

"Okay I've heard enough," Rick said. "You're going to spook the whole town. It's time to move it along."

"I'm wasting my time." Hershel shook his head and then handed Nicole his card. "If you see the car again don't approach it but call me... urgently."

Negan took it and gave the man a look. "Thanks."

Hershel reluctantly made his way back to his car and shook his head as he left their small group of people standing dumbfounded on the town green.

"I knew there was something up with that car," Nicole said to Negan.

"Honey, the man he's speaking about is dead."

"I wouldn't put much thought into it," Rick added.

"But the car... and the man in the mask... it's an odd coincidence, no?"

"No," Rick assured her. "Every Halloween in Haddonfield is more like a circus than anything. Do you know how many idiots I see trying to scare people with the Myers mask." He turned to Carl. "And why are you down here?"

"Nicole drove me. Michonne said to come tell you personally that the job was done."

"He fix the light?" Negan asked, glancing at Nicole.

"Yeah." She whipped out her phone and showed him the picture.

"Good fuckin' job kid," Negan told him with a laugh.

"Can I go out tonight Dad? Please..." Carl looked at Rick who still didn't appear satisfied.

"We'll see." He glanced over as Hershel's car pulled away. "With all this nonsense going on I don't think it's the best idea."

"Dad-"

"We'll talk later." Rick eyed his son and glanced at Negan and Nicole.

"I think that's our cue honey." Negan motioned for Nicole to follow him and looked back to Rick and grinned. "Excuse us."

"Thanks for the ride," Carl said genuinely.

"No problem." She tipped her mouth up in a half smile and walked away with Negan.

"He didn't try to get frisky on the ride, did he?" Negan began to tickle her, making her laugh but she quickly squirmed away.

"No." Nicole smiled at him and then forced him to stop to talk to her. "So... what the hell was that all about?"

"I think the guy's a fuckin' wackjob." Negan smiled wide. "But... just in case I think you should stick with me the rest of the day."

"I can't complain about that." She looked around to make sure they didn't have an audience and then kissed him. "I thought you were working down here."

"I am," he explained. "For another hour or so." Negan reached into his back pocket for his wallet and pulled out a twenty. "Go get yourself some lunch. Hang around the shops over here then you can follow me back to my house."

"I have money." Nicole smiled up at him.

"You took care of my dog," he teased. "Just let me fuckin' buy you lunch and get us a bottle of wine for tonight." Negan winked and she accepted the money.

"You're not... worried about me are you?" Nicole raised her eyebrows as axslow grin spread across her face. She loved hearing that Negan cared about her at times. It was an insecurity that went along with being in the type of unorthodox relationship that she was wrapped up in.

"Well let's see... you're talking about a mysterious car, the doctor says it's the one that was stolen, you see some fucker in a mask out the window. No, I'm not worried." He grinned and gave the back of her neck a squeeze before kissing her on the forehead. "Just hang around these shops here if you don't mind."

"I don't mind." Nicole looked up at him adoringly and felt herself doing it but couldn't help herself. His lingering ear-to-ear smile made her melt that much more.

"And red wine if you don't mind." Negan tipped her chin up and kissed her once.

"I was thinking a nice Cabernet."

"Perfect honey." He winked. "Stay away from strange vehicles. Keep your phone off vibrate so you get my call."

"I will." Nicole smiled and reluctantly parted from him. She watched as he walked back toward the project he had been working on then stared down at the twenty dollar bill in her hand and headed across the street to a little sandwich shop.

Pacing the sidewalk was Hershel Greene and she could tell from the antsy nature of his walking and the way he occasionally snuck a glance in her direction that he had something to say.


	7. Speed Kills

Nicole didn't know if she wanted to talk to Hershel or not. A part of her wanted to get to the bottom of the mysterious elements of life that were suddenly swirling around her but the other part wanted to let it all go as Halloween pranks and coincidence. All the more, she wanted to enjoy her evening with Negan without reserve now that she knew for certain he was separated from him wife.

"Hi..." Nicole greeted Hershel as he slowly approached her. She could see he had a slight limp now that it was a one-on-one interaction.

"I'm not trying to bother you, dear, but I have reason to believe you're in danger. This isn't some Halloween prank."

Nicole cut right to the chase. "Michael Myers is dead. He burned to death."

"They never found his body," Hershel claimed.

"It's been forty years... forty years," she emphasized. "What's he waiting for?"

"Tonight." Hershel was adamant in his prompt response.

"Is there a reason he would be in Negan's back yard? There's no motive to follow me."

"There are no motives in the mind of a psychopath."

Nicole swallowed hard and knew he was probably right. "I just..."

"You and your husband may very well be in immediate danger. For whatever reason he has set his sights on you. Negan is it? He told me about your encounters with the vehicle and the stranger in the mask in the last twenty-four hours. That's why I stayed to speak with you specifically."

Nicole couldn't help but smile in Hershel's inaccurate reference to her being Negan's wife. She didn't correct him. "I think it's just a big misunderstanding. It's been so long. Why would he come back now?" The same question came back around.

"For whatever reason he's been waiting on this night."

Nicole thought rationally for a moment while quietly acknowledging she could have easily indulged in Hershel's farfetched theories. "He supposedly died forty years ago. Don't you think he would have shown up by now?" She stared at him intently waiting for another quick response. When it never came she sighed, "I've got to go."

"What more do I need to say?"

"Look if you want to stay handcuffed to your dead patient that's fine but you can't drag me along." Nicole cruised past him. "I'm sorry."

"For whatever reason he has targeted you," Hershel called after her. "Don't be alone tonight!"

Nicole felt a chill run the length of her back as she rounded off onto a side street lined with shops.

She glanced in the first window and tried to push all of the nonsense from her mind though it was difficult when the shop was filled with creepy masks of all kinds.

Get a grip, she told herself and continued on down the street toward a little sandwich shop.

...x

"So you definitely can't come out with us?" Enid asked as she, Carl and Ron met behind a store on the main road.

"I'm working on it." He looked over his shoulder. "I swear part of my punishment is my dad's making me walk everywhere. It's at least two miles home."

"We'll walk with you," she offered. "Right Ron?"

He shrugged. "Sure, but what if your dad sees us?"

"He's busy doing stuff on the town green," Carl explained.

The three of them began their trek along the sidewalk, almost immediately rounding into a residential neighborhood where both Ron and Enid lived a few houses apart.

"Thanks for not ratting us out," Enid told him, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as she looked down.

"I'd never do that."

"Told ya we should've used eggs," she joked, making him smirk.

"Nah... I'm glad we got Negan at least a little riled up."

"His reaction was pretty priceless," Ron agreed.

The three of them shared a laugh and then all took a glance over their shoulder as a station wagon cruised suspiciously low past them.

"Green station wagon," Carl said aloud to no one in particular.

"Isn't that Devon Graham?" Enid asked.

"I don't think so," Carl answered.

"Hey jerk!" Ron shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Speed kills!"

The car immediately slammed on the brakes, making the three of them stop in their tracks. For several seconds it was a stalemate before the brake lights eased off and the car continued its slow crawl down the cracked pavement.

"You know Ron, one day you're going to get us all into real trouble," Enid told him.

He rolled his eyes. "Well I guess I'm off the hook because..." Ron scampered through a pile of raked leaves in the yard next to where they stood. "I'm home. Text me if you can meet up with us, Carl."

"Alright." He and Enid gave a wave and then continued on their walk.

"I'll sneak out if they don't let me go," Carl told her after a few seconds of silence.

Enid chuckled. "You live with two cops. Doubtful."

"I have my ways." Carl grinned. "But I think I can win over Michonne."

"I hope so." She smiled and then reached into her purse to search for her phone.

Carl smiled to himself and looked up ahead. He stopped when he saw a man in a white mask standing facing them on the sidewalk before ducking in a menacingly slow fashion behind a large row of bushes. He grabbed Enid's arm and stopped suddenly, prompting her to look at him.

"What is it?" She followed his gaze but saw nothing.

"It... someone was behind that bush up there."

"What? I don't see anybody."

"The guy that drove by before... the one Ron yelled at..."

Enid shook her head. "Oh subtle isn't he?" She hurried up ahead of Carl

"Enid!" He jogged a few feet to catch up with her as she hurried to check behind the bushes.

When the two of them got there they stood alone. There was no one.

"I swear he was right there," Carl said.

Enid let a slow smile spread across her face. "Are you trying to scare me?"

"No," he insisted. "No I swear Enid he was there. He was wearing the Michael Myers mask. Nicole said she saw him too this morning."

"It's people playing pranks, Carl." Enid shook her head and then pressed her eyebrows together. "Who's Nicole?"

He was tempted to try to make her jealous but decided there was no reason to be petty. "Negan's lady friend."

Enid laughed. "I don't get how all these women throw themselves at him. I mean he's a little charming-"

"Wait you think Negan's charming?"

"Witty might be a better word... funny." She changed her wording.

"You've gone to the dark side, Enid." The two of them shared a laugh and then Carl looked around again. "He was right here."

"Negan?"

He snickered. "No... the asshole in the mask."

Enid put a hand on his shoulder. "Well it's Halloween. Everyone's-"

"Entitled to one good scare," he finished. "Yeah... I've had my share."

She tugged at his shirt. "Come on. I'll walk you all the way home."


	8. Do You See Me Now

Nicole cruised in and out of a few stores before finally making it to the front window of the sandwich shop.

She glanced inside though quickly jumped when she saw a man behind her in the reflection of the glass.

"Whoa!" Negan put his hands up when she turned around so abruptly.

"Shit..." Nicole put a hand on her forehead.

"I'm sorry," he said genuinely. "I thought you saw me."

She shook her head, having literally thought it was Michael Myers behind her. It was all the more reason why Nicole felt her mind was playing tricks on her.

"Do you see me now?" Negan smiled and leaned in, gently touching his lips to hers.

Nicole kissed him back and smiled, placing a hand on the side of his face. "Couldn't stay away?" she teased.

"I'm doing something that I never fuckin' do."

"What's that?"

"Being cautious." Negan kissed her again and took her by the hand, towing her with him into the shop.

Nicole smiled to herself and allowed him to tow her to a small table near the back of the tiny mom-and-pop restaurant. A middle-aged woman followed the nearly empty place and put two menus on the table.

"I'll give you a minute," she said with a smile.

"Thanks." Negan nodded and then looked at Nicole. "You alright?" He placed an a behind her across the booth where they sat on the same side.

"Yeah." She nodded, looking him in the eye from just a couple of inches away. When Negan smiled and leaned in again she kissed him back for a moment before sighing. "I thought I saw him again... when you startled me on the street."

Negan leaned back and toyed with her hair. "You don't have to be afraid honey. Not for nothing but I'm not about to let a damn thing happen to you. That old doctor..." He shook his head.

"I'm losing my mind." Nicole swallowed hard and looked down. When Negan's hand drifted across her upper thigh she looked back up with a small smile.

"Let me ease it for you."

Her smile widened. "How?"

"Believe it or not, when I'm not talking I can be a good fuckin' listener." Negan continued to grin. "So maybe tonight by a..." His hand traveled up her leg the short distance more, "... warm fire."

Nicole sighed with another smile and never broke eye contact. "I'd like that."

He gave her leg a squeeze and kissed her once more before the waitress came back.

"Are we set to order drinks?"

"I'll just do a water with lemon... please," Nicole said.

"A coke," Negan told her.

"Easy enough." The woman grinned at them. "Should I come back for your orders?"

"Please." Negan grinned back. "We got too busy talking. Haven't looked at the menu yet."

"Take your time. I'll be back with your drinks."

Negan waited until the waitress rounded the corner before toying with the band on Nicole's pants and subtly slipping his hand down the front of them.

"What are you doing?" She whispered with an accompanied laugh.

"Easing your mind," he whispered back against her ear. "I never sit on the same side unless I have ulterior motives."

Nicole smiled and bit down on her bottom lip as his fingers danced along the outside of her panties.

"Just warming you up for later so you don't change your mind about spending the rest of the day with me." Negan purred a laugh into her ear and then removed his hand just seconds before the waitress re-emerged.

"Thank you," he said as she set the glasses down.

"Ready to order?" The woman asked.

"Shit... I just kept talking her ear off," Negan told her. "We haven't even opened the menus. Can you give us another minute?"

"You got it."

"Thanks." He turned back to Nicole and snickered when she stared at him with playful accusation and flush cheeks. "Better look at the menu doll. Whatcha waiting for?"

Nicole laughed and finally flipped it open as he did the same. When her hand wandered onto his lap Negan smiled and grabbed her firmly by the wrist.

"I can't hide a hard-on like you can your wet panties, doll." He winked. "You'll get us thrown outta here and I'm fuckin' hungry."

"We could always take it to go," Nicole teased.

Negan laughed. "How bad do you want it?" He ran his tongue across his teeth and happen to look out toward the window as another customer entered. Across the street sat a station wagon with the words Smith's Grove written in white block lettering. Even from where he sat Negan could make out the white mask behind the glass in the driver's seat. Before he could even warn Nicole what he was witnessing, Negan jumped out of his seat and ran out of the shop to confront the man.


	9. Ghost

Negan burst out into the street as the station wagon eased away in an almost taunting fashion as if to say 'come and get me'.

He ran full speed down the street drawing looks from the occasional person walking the sidewalks.

"Move!" Negan pushed past three teenage boys and continued running as the car ducked around a corner up ahead. He didn't stop, eager to find out who it was that was lurking around the streets of Haddonfield and potentially stalking him or Nicole.

When he rounded off the main road Negan found himself adjacent to an old cemetery without a trace of the mysterious vehicle. His eyes frantically scanned the area though there was nothing but gravestones and scattered leaves of all colors swirling about.

The atmosphere felt suddenly spooky and even Negan couldn't deny the chill that traveled the length of his back from the sudden change of scenery. Inside he had the feeling like he was being watched.

"This is some fuckin' scary movie shit," he said to himself. Negan continued to stare in all directions before turning around to go back onto the main road. When he slammed into someone he cursed aloud and pushed himself back. "Fuckin'-"

Rick Grimes took a step back. "Easy," he demanded coolly.

"What the fuck..." Negan ran a hand through his hair.

"Is that the only word you know?" Rick asked.

"What the fuck are you doing following me?"

"What were you running after?"

Negan huffed a breath and turned back around down the desolate street. "Green station wagon... asshole with a mask behind the wheel."

Rick looked at him with a hint of skepticism. "Are we a believer now?"

"We?"

"What are we talking about here?"

"I think I was pretty fuckin' clear."

"Would you like to make an official report?" Rick asked him. "About the man outside of your house... and now this."

"Yeah I mother fuckin' would." His voice was firmer now.

"Fine..." Rick reached into the pocket of shirt and pulled out a notepad and a pen.

Negan shook his head and pushed passed him. "I'm not fuckin' repeating myself. You have my formal complaint."

"Negan..." he called after him but he kept walking.

...x

Nicole waited for a minute before standing up and heading toward the door.

"Is everything okay?" The waitress asked.

Nicole handed the woman a five dollar bill. "I don't know... here it's for the Coke."

"That was only a dollar-twenty five."

"Keep the rest." Nicole continued her walk out of the tiny shop and into the street where she looked both ways. Despite the popular nature of the area there was no one on the sidewalk.

A wind cut through the air sending Nicole's hair whipping in all directions. She quickly pulled it back into a ponytail and looked around again. "Negan?" She shouted his name and suddenly felt a dreadful pull tugging at her core.

Nicole has seen him run out and to the right so she began to jog in that direction. "Negan?" She called for him again as the stores grew farther and farther away. When a street sign for the next road came into clear view Nicole looked over her shoulder to see the sandwich shop's sign in the distance.

"Nicole."

She jumped. "Yes!" Nicole swallowed hard and put a hand on her forehead. "Negan. What the hell are you doing?"

"I saw the car," he told her.

"The green station wagon?"

He nodded and towed her by the arm back toward the more populated area. "I was trying to confront the fucker one-on-one but he drove off."

"Did you get a look at him?"

"No." He took a deep breath and encouraged her to keep walking. "Let's just... go home... get the fuck away from all this Halloween bullshit and lock ourselves away for the night."

"Okay," Nicole agreed with a nod. She reached for his hand and brought it up toward her lips.

"I'm sick of all this weird shit." Negan looked at her and let out another deep sigh.

Nicole kissed him on the cheek and then the two of them turned back from where they came from at the same time. Standing there alone beneath the street sign in a black jump suit and a white mask was Michael Myers. 


	10. Open Doors

"Mother fucker..." Negan went to confront the man at the end of the street but Nicole pulled him back.

"No." She forced him to look back at her. "Negan let's go."

"This guy-"

"Please," Nicole begged. She kept a hand firmly on his arm. "Negan please don't go down there."

He clenched his jaw and the two of them stared at one another for a moment before Negan pulled out his phone. When he glanced back down the street the man had vanished almost as if he was a ghost.

"Rick." Negan spoke into the receiver and pulled Nicole by the hand back up toward the center of town. She couldn't help but glance over her shoulder as they went. "Fucker's on the road where we were just talking."

Nicole swallowed hard as they passed the sandwich shop and tried to listen in on the conversation.

"Well look harder," Negan demanded. "He was just down there. If this fucker shows up again and you don't do shit about it I'm taking matters into my own hands." He hung up the phone before Rick could respond.

"What did he say? That's Michael Myers isn't it? The old man isn't crazy."

"No that's some asshole fucking with the wrong people," Negan responded angrily.

"No it's not."

He stopped abruptly as they reached the main road in front of the green again. "He's dead, Nicole. Michael Myers is dead." Negan's voice was hard and serious. "Don't feed into this bullshit."

"What are we going to do?"

Negan towed her by the hand. "We're going to let Rick Grimes and his band of misfits do their fuckin' jobs... and you and I are going back to my house."

The two of them crossed the street and wandered down past floats for the parade to where his truck was parked.

"My car..." Nicole motioned down the road where she had parallel parked.

"Fuck." Negan sucked his teeth. "I'll follow you to your apartment. Park it, get in with me and we'll go to my house."

"Okay," she agreed with a nod. A part of her indulged in the small bout of excitement that sent adrenaline streaming through her body. The Michael Myers wannabe, or kid playing a prank, whoever it was added a hint of adventure to the weekend. Still, Nicole held onto the notion that the person could be dangerous and it made the hair stand up on the back of her neck.

I'll be with Negan, she reminded herself. Nicole couldn't deny that there was no one who made her feel safer.

...x

Ron applied the last bit of makeup to complete his zombie costume. The party he intended on going to with Enid and Carl supposedly had a contest with cash prizes and he hoped his would qualify has one of the scariest.

Could use the money to take out Enid, he thought to himself. A jealous twinge rose in his core when he pictured Carl walking her home. Selfishly he hoped that his male counterpart would be grounded for the evening so he could possibly work up the courage to ask Enid out.

When a text message came through to his phone he rolled his eyes when he saw it was his father stating he wouldn't be home until late.

"Have another drink, dick." Ron didn't reply to the text and continued what he was doing. He had gotten accustomed to his father coming home late, drunk and disorderly. More than once he'd been on the wrong end of his back hand. It was the reason why he hadn't seized the opportunity to invite Enid back to his currently parentless house.

A loud click from downstairs made him stop what he was doing and he listened hard. "Sam?" Ron called out for his younger brother despite knowing he was sleeping over a friend's house.

When there was no answer Ron continued to fiddle with his costume until he found himself satisfied. He then headed down the stairs, humming to himself in carefree fashion until he came face-to-face with the open front door.

Ron stopped and listened again, all of his senses on red alert. He placed his hand on the frame of the door and glanced out onto the oversized front porch.

"Hello?" He called out before stepping just a few inches outside. There was nothing; no one. Ron eyed the two tall oak trees that stood side-by-side on either side of the walkway that led up to the porch as they swayed in the breeze sending leaves of all colors fluttering about.

The wind, he thought. Ron looked around the yard again before stepping back inside and shutting the door firmly behind him, this time double checking it security. When he turned to head into the kitchen there was a consistent tapping noise that caught his attention from the back side of the house.

Ron carefully wandered through the kitchen toward the back door and this time froze where he stood when it hung open, gently swaying in the breeze and tapping the wall to create an eerie rhythm.

He swallowed hard, finding it hard to believe that both doors would have coincidentally found themselves at the mercy of the windy weather outside.

"Who's there?" Ron shouted now. He lied. "I have a gun!"

There was nothing. No sounds, no signs of forced entry. Just a swaying door that allowed some stray leaves to make themselves at home on the hardwood floor.

Ron knew he couldn't leave it open, though his feet felt as if they were stuck in a pit of cement. For a moment he contemplated running out the front door but the thought made him feel like a complete wuss. On the same note if he left the house wide open he knew his dad would surely kick his ass.

Fuck it, he thought, and then took a breath and headed to the back door. The tapping seemed to match his breathing. The last few steps made Ron's heart rate rise and he counted down in his mind - three, two, one...

With a quick slam he grabbed the handle and pulled the door closed, sighing out loud and putting a hand on his chest from the suspense he had created.

"Shit..." Ron swallowed hard and turned back around, bumping into the chest of a man that towered above him. His mouth suddenly dropped in a state of terror as he stared into the endless black pits of the Michael Myers mask.


	11. Curfew

"Michonne, please..." Carl begged his beloved stepmom. "I promise I'll be back before midnight."

She eyed him a moment as poured some Diet Coke into a glass in their kitchen. A smile spread across her face. "Can I come to this party? I can just wear my uniform and go as a cop."

Carl chuckled and made a face, prompting her to swat him in the arm.

"That's not the way to proposition me into letting you go." Michonne smiled. "Your father should be home soon. We'll have a talk."

"So... that's a no." Carl slumped in his chair and began fiddling with his phone. "Now Ron is going to make a move on Enid and-"

"What does make a move mean these days?" She raised her eyebrows.

Carl shrugged. "I don't know... ask her out. Kiss her... or try to."

"Why haven't you just told her you like her?"

"I finally got the courage to do it tonight... and now I'm screwed because I can't go out.

"Well maybe you shouldn't have gotten into so much mischief on Mischief Night."

"It was Negan's house." He gave her a look as if he was looking for a hint of approval.

"I don't care who's house it was. It's still wrong." She took a swig from the glass and sat beside Carl at the table. "I'll try to put in a good word... since you fixed the light."

"Thanks." He shook his head. "Ron isn't even responding to my texts. He's probably hoping I can't go."

Michonne messed up his hair and Carl smiled and playfully pushed her hand away. She gave him a wink. "I'll talk to your father."

...x

"It's going to take more than some fancy talk to keep me roaming around these streets all night," Rick told Hershel as they walked the sidewalks nearby the Michael Myers sightings.

"What more do you need?" He asked. "That man saw him too. Do you think-"

"What I think is that this is someone playing stupid pranks. Negan isn't the most liked man in town."

"It's him sheriff."

"So you're telling me I should be prepared for a slaughter?"

"You may have to be. But if you're proactive maybe not."

Rick looked at him. "I'm thinking of an arrest for disturbing the peace when I find the punk that's putting everyone on edge."

"A punk kid didn't steal the Smith's Grove vehicle."

Rick stared at him for a long moment and then sighed. "Fine. I'll put on some extra muscle just by the chance that you're right."

"That's all I ask." Hershel glanced around. "I'm going to station myself on the street of the Myers house. I'll call you if I see anything."

...x

Nicole pulled up into her parking space at her apartment and Negan edged in beside her. When she got out she looked around the quiet lot and walked over to the driver's side to lean into the window.

"Will you come in with me?" She asked

Normally Negan would tease her but the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach prevented him from spouting off typical humor. "Sure." He opened the door and followed her toward the front door and inside.

"I just need to get a few things," Nicole told him, heading down the hallway to the bedroom. Negan trailed her, glancing around the empty house and sighed to himself. When Nicole looked back she could see he wasn't right from his expression. "Do you think this guy's really dangerous?"

Negan eyed the bed and sat down on the end of it, watching as Nicole eased open her closet. "Earlier today I would have said no... but now I have no fuckin' idea." He ran a hand through his hair. "I was a kid myself when he killed those kids back in the seventies. It was terrifying, my mother never wanted me out on Halloween night after that... course I found my ways to sneak out."

Nicole smiled picturing him as a young teenager.

"I heard he burned to death but... I don't know. There wasn't a burial. I remember the doctor making statements in the paper that his body hadn't been found. Fuck... logically it's been a long fuckin' time but... who knows. I don't even know what I'm fuckin' talking about." He leaned his hands back onto the mattress as she turned around with an arm full of clothes. "Bring more than that."

"It's two outfits," she told him and then managed a grin. "And some more... comfortable clothes."

Negan chuckled. "I was thinking you should stay with me until they find this fucker. I don't want you to be alone."

Nicole smiled, thinking to herself that there was a perk to the craziness that was going on. "Okay." She walked over and left a lingering closed-mouth kiss on his lips until he moaned.

Negan places his hands on his hips. "Of course my intentions are only half pure." He smiled and they kissed again before Nicole went on with packing some things into a gym bag.

"So are mine," she disclosed with a smile. "It's not typically my style but I'll happily play the damsel in distress tonight."

Negan smiled wide and rose to his feet as she gathered up the rest of her belongings. "Hey I'm sorry I didn't take it seriously last night... about that fuckin' station wagon."

Nicole shrugged but he shook his head.

"Something could've happened to you," he went on. "I'm just glad I got home when I did."

"Aww are you having a sensitive moment?" She teased, closing the gap between them again.

Negan laughed. "Fuck no."

"Yeah yeah..." Nicole kissed him another time, this time slipping her tongue into his mouth. She then proceeded to drop down to her knees in front him. She undid his zipper, "Sure you weren't worried about me? The occasional sensitive side on a tough man is pretty sexy."

Negan looked down, making eye contact with her and smirked. "Yeah... I care... I'm fuckin' worried about you."

Nicole smiled and proceeded with what she was doing. "That's all I needed to hear."


	12. The Myers House

Halloween (The Walking Dead) - Chapter 12

* * *

"Eleven o'clock." Michonne looked at Carl as she hung up the phone with Rick. "Go get your costume on."

"Really?" He smiled wide and then gave her a hug.

Michonne dug into the pocket of her pants for car keys and then tossed them to Carl when they parted. "Don't be late. I vouched for you so both of us will be in trouble."

"I won't be late." He hugged her again.

"Oh and your dad says he'll be out and about all night. Shane and everyone else will be on the late shift so he's got eyes on you."

Carl laughed. "Okay." He ran upstairs to get ready, texting Enid has his feet pounded up each step. Momentarily he returned wearing a cowboy hat, waving to Michonne as he headed for the door.

"Tell her you like her," she teased, smiling to herself when she heard Carl laugh before the front door slammed shut behind him.

As Carl hopped into the car he called Enid to let her know he was on the way. When he arrived to her house and she was waiting on the step with a pumpkin in her arms he couldn't help but smile.

Before Carl could attempt to get out to open the door for her she was already hurrying into the vehicle on her own.

"So what's the pumpkin for?" He asked.

"Ron's little brother Sam. I told the kid I'd bring him one to carve." She smiled and whispered. "I think he has a crush on me."

Him and me both, Carl thought to himself but he wasn't brave enough to say the words aloud.

"So we'll swing by Ron's house, pick him up and I'll leave the pumpkin on the step," she concluded.

"Sounds like a plan." Carl smiled and then pulled away from her house.

...x

Hershel stood in the bushes on the side of the Myers house as darkness crept in. He wasn't sure what he would do if Michael showed up but he was determined to find him.

A pack of kids approaching the home donning costumes of all sorts made him duck.

"Go in Sam!" A boy dared.

"He's a chicken," another said.

"I'm not."

"Then go in!"

Hershel watched as the young boy tiptoed toward the front door of the house that everyone in town claimed to be haunted. He waited, not wanting to see something tragic happen to the child and also knew it could put a damper on his plan.

As the boy lifted a foot onto the front step Hershel intervened.

"Hey!" He growled, cupping his hands around his mouth. The boy turned his head, mouth open in fright. "Hey Sam, get your ass away from there!"

Sam darted off the porch, screaming as he and his friends ran as fast away from the Myers house as fast as their legs could manage.

Hershel smiled, getting a kick out of his harmless prank but jumped and spun around when a hand landed on his shoulder.

Rick stood behind him and smirked but quickly grew serious. "Look nothing is going on here except kids egging houses, getting high... things like that. I have a feeling you're way off on this."

"You have the wrong feeling. "Hershel told him."

"You're not doing much to prove me wrong."

"What more do you need?"

"Well it's going to take more than that to keep my crawling around these bushes all night."

Hershel shook his head. "I sat watching him. He sat staring at the wall, looking past the wall, looking at this night... inhumanly patient."

"More talk..."

"Death has come to your little town sheriff."

Rick sighed and went to challenge him again but glanced over his shoulder and pointed. "That your vehicle?"

Hershel whipped around and eyed a parked station wagon a few houses down. He hurried through the yard with Rick at his heels, going as fast as he could despite his limp.

"This is the car," Hershel claimed, becoming more agitated by the second. He placed a hand on the driver's side door handle and then traced the lettering on the side.

Rick put his radio to his mouth. "Can I get a plate run on a potential stolen vehicle?"

"Potential stolen vehicle?" Hershel's voice grew louder. "You need to get your men on the streets now! He's here. Michael Myers is here and people are in danger if you don't get your men armed and ready!" He took a breath and looked around the dark streets. "He's here... and this is his night."


	13. This Is a Sick Joke

Halloween (The Walking Dead) - Chapter 13

* * *

"So... what do you say we prank Negan again?" Enid was already scanning her phone with a smirk in the passenger seat.

"Ehh... I don't know. I'm on thin ice with my parents already."

"They'll never know it was us... and I'll take the blame if we do. Come on... it's Halloween."

Carl couldn't deny Enid when she smiled at him and so he agreed with a nod. She quickly hit the button that dialed the local police, put it on speaker and handed him the phone.

"Wait... what am I supposed to say?"

She giggled. "I don't know. Make something up."

"Haddonfield police department, this is Officer Shane Walsh. How can I help you?"

Carl's mouth hung open a moment and he made eye contact with Enid who continued to smile wide.

"Officer Walsh," Carl deepened his voice. "My name's Negan and I, uh, live at 45 Cypress Pond Road." He cleared his throat to buy himself a few seconds. "I want to report a disturbance at my house."

"What kind of disturbance sir?"

Carl thought a moment. "There's a strange car parked out front and... an old lady got out. She's streaking in my front yard."

There was a pause and Enid put a hand over her mouth. "What did you say your name was?"

"Negan," Carl said trying not to laugh. "Send an officer over right away. I'm trying to bang my girlfriend since my wife's out of town. Please hurry." He hung up the phone and the two of them started laughing.

"That was bad," Enid told him.

"Really?" Carl pressed his eyebrows together.

"Bad meaning good." She laughed again. "A streaking old lady?"

He shrugged and snickered. "I don't know why that's the first thing that came to mind."

"Me either." She continued to laugh as they pulled in front of Ron's house. Enid grabbed the pumpkin and nodded toward the door. "Ready?"

"Yeah." The two of them headed out of the car and up toward the home of their friend. As they approached the porch Carl put an arm over Enid's and stopped short. "Why's the door open?"

The two of them stood a few feet from the front steps and Enid swallowed hard. "I don't know..."

"Ron!" Carl shouted their friend's name. When there was nothing he took the first few steps that led to the porch. "Hey Ron!"

Nothing.

Enid joined Carl and tugged on his shirt. "His dad's a drunk," she whispered. "You don't think... could he have done something?"

"I... I don't know." Carl glanced over at her.

"It's too dark to see inside."

"Ron!" Carl proceeded toward the open front door and Enid put the pumpkin down on the top step.

"Carl don't." She pulled at him again. "We should go."

"What if he's in trouble?" He looked in and pushed lightly on the open door.

Enid reached for his hand and Carl took the first step inside. When he looked down he noticed a red smear and abruptly stepped backwards.

"What's that?" Panic rose in Enid's voice and Carl's eyes followed a blood trail that led into the kitchen.

"This is a sick joke," he said quietly, positioning himself in front of her. Carl took in a deep breath through his nose and reached a hand blindly around the corner in search of a light switch. When his fingers found it he switched it on and the entire kitchen was illuminated.

The two of them stepped into the kitchen and immediately they jumped back as Enid screamed.

Ron's body was impaled to the wall by a knife that secured him by his neck. Blood dripped to the floor below him and a lifeless stare looked the two of them in the face.

Enid slowly drifted her hand to her mouth in disbelief and Carl felt frozen. Neither could process what they were seeing. Was it real? Was it not?

With a loud slam a man flung open a door from the back of the room and stared them down through the lifeless eye sockets of the Michael Myers mask. Blood covered the front of his black jumpsuit and hands as he stared menacingly across the room.

"Wh-wh-who's that?" Enid's stammering voice snapped Carl out his daze. He pulled her by the hand.

"Let's get the fuck out of here!" He pulled her with him out of the house, fiddling for his keys as they ran. When they dropped to the ground near the front steps he stopped and Enid pulled him.

"Come on!"

Carl reached for the keys but stared up as Michael Myers stepped out onto the porch.

"Oh shit..." his jaw dropped and Enid pulled him with her.

"Carl come on!"

He began to backpedal as Michael moved methodically in their direction.

Finally his legs and brain managed to work together as he and Enid ran rampant away from Ron's house.


	14. Good Listener

Halloween (The Walking Dead) - Chapter 14

Nicole let a piece of candy corn drop from her mouth to Negan's as his hands snaked up her bare hips.

He caught it and smiled before eagerly accepting a smoldering kiss that left both of them sighing.

"Mmm..." Nicole moaned as he teased her from below with his erection. "Do you think they caught him?" She closed her eyes as Negan ignored her question and pulled her toward him to kiss her neck. "Negan..."

He leaned his head back against the pillows and stared up at her. "I'm sure they're looking for him if they haven't." Negan's fingers danced along her upper arm and toyed with the last piece of clothing she had on. "Take this off." He pulled her back to him.

"You said you were a good listener," Nicole reminded him, glancing over her shoulder at the fire he'd set.

Negan let out a sigh but immediately smiled and rested one hand behind his head while keeping the other secured on her hip. "Okay."

"I don't think it's a coincidence that we kept seeing that car... and the man."

"I hate to say it like this," Negan said. "But I've made some enemies in town." He gave a chuckle. "I mean people either love me or they fuckin' hate me there's really no in between. You think the Grimes kid picked my house randomly to hit last night? Someone's fucking with me and I'm sorry you have to be affected by it."

Nicole looked him in the eye and saw he had convinced himself of that. "You really think that's what this is?"

He tipped his mouth up in half-smile. "Yeah." Negan touched her cheek with the back of his fingers and then more forcefully guided her by the back of the neck toward him so their lips connected again.

Nicole breathed into his mouth and smiled against him. "Who could hate you?" She whispered.

"You'd be surprised." Negan laughed and then escalated their kiss and upped their intimacy to the next level when he connected himself to her.

Nicole bit down on her bottom lip and lowered herself down onto him completely and ditched the bra he has asked her to take off.

Negan's hand cupped her breast and he brought his mouth to the center of it. "You're fuckin' amazing," he muffled against her chest as she began to ride him.

A knock at the front door, again, made both of them stop what they were doing.

"The lights are all fuckin' off," Negan whispered. "Kids shouldn't be out here looking for candy."

"Haddonfield Police," a voice came from the other side of the door as another knock proceeded.

"You have to be fuckin' kidding me." He said quietly. Negan leaned his head back again and closed his eyes.

Nicole got off of him and moved over to the side of him on the couch. Negan reached for his sweatpants from the floor and threw them on before finding the nearest blanket and handing it to Nicole.

He lazily strolled to the door and threw it open, coming face-to-face with Shane Walsh.

"Are you Negan?" He asked.

"That would be me. What now?"

Shame creased his brow. "I'm responding to a disturbance."

"Disturbance?"

"Yeah we got a call," he went on. "Car out front... someone streaking in the yard..."

Negan chuckled. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"You didn't make a phone call about a half hour ago?"

"No." He shook his head. "But I'm sorry I missed the streaker."

"We don't appreciate prank phone calls."

Negan didn't want to drag out the conversation any longer than he had to and he certainly didn't want to be led out of the house in handcuffs for being too mouthy. "Look I'm forty-five years old... I've got an incredibly hot woman waiting by a fire in here and I turned my fuckin' lights off for a reason. Do you think I have time to make a prank phone call?"

Shane put his hands on his hips and sighed. "I hate Halloween."

"Look if you want to hang around I'm sure there'll be little pricks looking to egg the house a little later. Just do it from the street and don't come back knocking unless there's some dire emergency... and thank you for checking up Officer Walsh." Negan grinned wide with a nod.

"Good night," Shane grumbled as he turned to go.

Negan slowly closed the door and then glanced over at Nicole. "Apparently we missed a fuckin' streaker."

She laughed as he hurried to rejoin join her on the couch, pinning her beneath him under the blanket.

"Too bad." Nicole continued grinning and wrapped her arms around his bare shoulders.

Negan settled himself between her legs and kissed her again but Nicole turned her head to the side so she could hear.

"What?" Negan asked, nuzzling his face in her neck.

"Listen." Nicole swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "A tapping sound... do you hear it?"

Negan pushed himself onto his hands and looked over his shoulder. With a groan he rose back to his feet and angrily crossed through the living room toward the kitchen.

Nicole sat breathing heavily in anticipation for whatever was responsible for the noise. She heard the French doors that led out back open and close and the tapping stopped. A moment later Negan reentered the room.

"Rake," he explained. "I left it out... was tapping against the glass."

Before Nicole could breath a sigh of relief her eyes lit up and her mouth dropped open.

"Negan look out!" She pointed as Michael Myers rounded into the room behind him.

He turned and reactively threw a punch though Michael caught his hand and squeezed his fist until Negan cried out in pain as the bones cracked beneath the force.

With his other hand he grabbed Negan by the throat and slammed him hard up against the wall so he was off his feet.

"Go!" He choked out. "Nicole run!"


	15. Behind You

Nicole didn't hesitate. She retrieved the baseball bat from the corner of the room that she had prepared to use her first night alone at Negan's and ran to his aid.

Without warning she swung the bat, connecting with Michael's back and then hit him a second time to send him staggering back releasing Negan in the process.

"Come on!" She grabbed his hand as he fell to the ground and tried to pull him up, though he hollered in pain again as she yanked on his broken hand.

Michael approached them again and Nicole connected another time with the bat, this time in his mid-section.

Negan rose to his feet now and pushed Nicole ahead of him as Michael struggled for a moment to deal with the third blow she dealt him.

"Go!" Negan had a hand on her back guiding her toward the front door.

Nicole snatched a blanket off the back of the couch without breaking stride and flung the front door open, immediately shouting for help.

"Fuuuck!" The word dragged out of Negan's mouth as he attempted to leave his home when Michael's knife plunged into his upper back.

Nicole spun around in horror but didn't hesitate and plunged the knob of the bat into Michael's face this time. It was enough to throw him off and Negan managed to follow Nicole out of the house as they ran toward the street.

"Are you alright?" She shouted frantically as they ran.

"Just keep going!" He pointed toward the police car stationed out front, grunting and groaning with each stride as he struggled to overcome the pain of his injuries.

"Officer!" Nicole shouted. "Officer Walsh!" She waved an arm at him, wrapping the blanket around her body now as they approached the vehicle.

Her hands pounded the glass on the driver's side and Negan looked back over his shoulder as Michael paraded in their direction.

"Shane!" He shouted, but stopped and grabbed Nicole's hands. "We have to fuckin' go."

"But-"

"Look!" Negan pointed.

Nicole whipped the car door open and Shane fell to the pavement, his throat covered in blood stemming from a long slash. She put her hand to her cover her mouth but suddenly snapped out of the daze as Negan pulled on her arm.

"He's coming Nicole!"

She began to run with him, seeing his blood-covered back for the first time and wanted to cry.

"Your back Negan..." she huffed out the words and felt a whimper leave her throat as they ran.

"We have to get help." He suppressed another groan and continued on until they nearly ran smack into Carl and Enid.

"Holy shit!" Carl gasped. "We need help." He took in their attire and saw Negan was covered in blood. "He's... he's..." He began to stammer.

"He's right there!" Enid pointed over Negan's shoulder.

"He killed Ron!" Carl claimed.

"Go kid!" Negan motioned ahead, wincing in pain.

"No one's helping us!" Carl claimed as the four of them continued to run.

"Get to your house." He huffed a breath. "Go to your house, lock the doors and call your dad."

"Michonne..." Carl suddenly realized that she was home alone. He looked over his shoulder and Michael wasn't in sight. "He's... not there."

Negan began to slow down and encouraged them to continue.

"Negan." Nicole put a hand on his back and pulled it away to find her hand covered in blood. "You need a doctor."

"My fuckin' hand hurts worse," he lied, clenching his jaw and closing his eyes.

Carl looked back as he and Enid continued running. He slowed his pace for a moment but Negan waved him on. "Go! We're right behind you."

Nicole kept her hand pressed against the wound as he struggled to maintain a fast pace. "You're okay," she encouraged him.

"I know." He swallowed hard and wanted to tell her to go catch up with the kids but he knew he wouldn't make it much farther without her. "Keep talkin' to me honey."

Nicole put her arm under his and around his waist to help him on. "Can I still stay at your house for a few days?" She managed a laugh.

Negan took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Fuck yeah," he choked out.

She smiled and looked over her shoulder. "Oh fuck." Nicole tried to get Negan moving faster as Michael Myers reappeared behind them in the street. 


	16. Shots Fired

Negan managed a glance over his shoulder and closed his eyes as Michael closed in on them.

"Go Nicole... get the fuck out of here."

She continued to help him stagger along the street.

"Nicole!" He shouted now.

"I'm not leaving you!" Nicole shouted back though her eyes grew wider as Michael inches closer and closer. She positioned herself in front of Negan despite him fighting her and raised the bat again.

With a hard swing she failed to connect as Michael ducked out of the way and then grabbed the barrel before clutching Nicole by the neck.

"Michael!" Negan shouted. "Come to me! Come get me!" He used his good hand to land a punch hard on the side of Michael's face, providing enough distraction for him to release Nicole and direct his attention to Negan.

Nicole fell to the pavement and caught her breath, putting a hand on her throat. She watched as Michael closed in on Negan.

Two loud bangs made Nicole tense up in a frozen state and watched in awe as Michael suddenly fell to the ground.

For a moment it felt as if time stood still and she wasn't able to fully comprehend what had happened until Hershel came running up onto the scene.

A ringing lingered in Nicole's ears though she finally recognized that Michael had been shot.

"Go on, get out!" Hershel demanded. "Get our of here. Contact the police!"

Negan hurried to Nicole and grabbed her by the hand and the two of them stared at Michael for a moment before switching their gaze to Hershel.

"I said go!" He demanded. "Get the sherif. Get Rick Grimes out here so we can get him out of here!"

"He's... he's dead right?" Nicole asked, looking on as Michael lay in the street.

"Go get the police!" Hershel said again. "Evil never dies."

"Come on." Negan urged her away and began to stagger down the road with Nicole's aid.

...x

"Michonne!" Carl and Enid edged their way up to the open front door of their home.

"Not again..." Enid spoke aloud to herself as thoughts of Ron's house came to mind.

Carl didn't hesitate this time and hurried inside shouting for Michonne as he rushed into the living room and through the kitchen with Enid just a step behind him.

A coffee mug had shattered on the ground and a pool of brown liquid was beneath it on the floor. Four of the six chairs around the kitchen table had been thrown to the floor and the back door was open just a few inches.

"Come on." Carl waved Enid with him and he pulled on the handle of the back door, immediately looking down when he felt a sticky, wet substance against his palm. "Blood," he said to himself.

"What?" Enid whispered.

"There's blood on the handle." Carl shoved the door the rest of the way open and they hurried out into the back yard. A rush of relief poured through him when he saw his father squatted down in front of Michonne. "Dad!"

Rick whipped his head around and rose to his feet, immediately rushing to hug his son and Enid at the same time.

"You are not safe here Carl," he said. Rick's eyes scanned the darkness that loomed all around them, hiding what might be out there.

"Michonne..." Carl disregarded Rick's claims and hurried to her side. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," she huffed a breath and Carl saw a huge gash that traveled down her arm.

"Was it him?" He asked. "Was it Michael Myers?"

Michonne looked up at Rick but Carl went on.

"He killed Ron... he attacked Negan and Nicole."

"What?" Rick asked. "What do you-"

"Ron's dead," Carl repeated. "He was..." he winced thinking about it, "He was pinned to the wall by a knife. It... it was horrible Dad. He was after ya too."

Rick pulled him to him again and hugged him hard. "An ambulance is on he way."

"He's still out there. He was just behind us."

"Where?"

"On the street. He stabbed Negan. I don't know if they made it."

Rick could see the fear and pain in his son's eyes. He looked around again and then to Michonne. "Go inside. Lock up the doors. Stay together."

"Where are you going?" Carl asked.

Rick was already reaching for his handheld radio. "I'm going to need back up on Cypress Pond," he said calmly.

Michonne struggled to rise to her feet but nodded toward the back door. "Come on kids."

"He can't die Dad," Carl told him. "Let's get out of here... leave town."

"He's a man Carl," Rick said, making sure his firearm was loaded. "Stay put until the ambulance shows up." He looked him directly in the eye. "Don't leave under any other circumstances."

"Be careful." Michonne put a hand on his arm.

"I will." He motioned to the house as he headed toward the side. "Lock yourselves in."


	17. Lock the Doors

Nicole saw the approaching lights flashing in the distance but knew the ambulance wasn't for them when it took a hard left turn into a driveway.

A trail of blood followed where they walked and she could see Negan was slowing down. This time, Nicole didn't look back.

"We just have to make it there," she encouraged him. "We have to make it to the ambulance."

Negan's eyes fluttered and he felt as if he could pass out at any moment. "Let me fuckin' sit here," he choked out and then cleared his throat. "Go track it down."

"I'm not leaving you defenseless. If Michael comes up here..." she shook her head and saw he was about to protest, though a car approached and came to a squealing halt when the driver saw them.

"What happened?" The male voice was familiar and frantic. A moment later Rick was rushing from the vehicle.

"Michael Myers," Nicole motioned down the street. "He's down there. The doctor is too."

Rick put his hand on Negan's back, making him wince. "He did this."

"Well it wasn't fucking..." he couldn't think of a smartass response and let the sentence die out.

"Load him in," Rick got himself under Negan's arm as Nicole ducked under the other. "There's an ambulance picking up Michonne."

"What happened to her?" Nicole asked.

"She's alright... minor stab wound... she's a fighter." He grunted as he opened the back door of the cruiser. "I'll drop you off and then-"

"Go kill that mother fucker," Negan finished.

...x

When Rick arrives on the scene Hershel ordered him back. "Stay away."

"Tell me what happened," Rick demanded staring at Michael who still laid in the center of the road. He drew his weapon. "I'm going to need you to give me the gun."

"I shot him twice," Hershel claimed. "He killed your partner."

Rick gave him a look on confusion, cocking his head to the side.

"The officer down there." Hershel pointed.

Rick raised his radio to his lips, not taking his eyes of Hershel or Michael. "We have a possible fatality on Cypress Pond. I need immediate assistance." He began walking toward Michael. "And there are reports of an officer down. I repeat an officer down."

"Stay away!" Hershel barked when Rick began to bend down beside Michael.

"I have to check his pulse."

"It'll be the last thing you do," Hershel pushed him back prompting Rick to tense up.

"Put your hands on me again and I'll arrest you for assaulting an officer." He put a hand up and then kneeled down beside Michael.

"Sherif please... back away," Hershel begged.

Rick put a hand up to silence him and reached his first two fingers beneath the rubber mask onto Michael's neck.

All was silent in the night and Rick closed his eyes to concentrate. At first he felt nothing, though after five or six seconds he was shocked to hear the repetitive sound as blood pulsed beneath the surface of Michael's skin in simple rhythm...

Lub -dub... lub-dub... lub-dub... 


	18. To HMH

Hey all! I'm going to try to finish this today considering it is Halloween :) Thanks again for reading!

Rick backed away and radioed for backup another time. He then turned to Hershel again. "Where is the officer that you said needed help?"

"He doesn't need help... he's dead." Hershel eyed Michael. "You need to let me kill him before he causes even more death... more destruction in your town."

Rick took a breath and stared around the empty street. He glanced back again toward his house where the ambulance lights were still swirling. A moment later the cavalry came over the hill as a police car and a second ambulance barreled down the road toward them.

"Stay put," he ordered Hershel, "Or I'll cuff you." Rick hurried toward the two emergency vehicles. "He says there's an officer down. I haven't seen it personally."

"Where?" His co-worker asked. "Who is it?"

"I don't know who, but-"

"He's down that way!" Hershel shouted, pointing. "His throat was slashed ear to ear and if you don't watch out you're all going to follow suit!"

"Is that..." the officer pointed to Michael Myers and then looked back to Rick.

"Just drive down the street and see if he's still alive."

"You're wasting your time," Hershel intervened again.

"Shut up." Rick turned and then motioned for his officer to go.

Two EMTs exited the ambulance and pulled a stretcher out of the back. They headed toward Michael and Hershel darted in their direction.

"No!" He shouted but Rick caught him by the arm, twisting him around and slapped on a pair of handcuffs. "He'll kill them! He'll kill them all!"

"He's been shot... twice," Rick argued. "He's barely alive. And you... you're coming with me." He towed Hershel with him toward the police car as the EMTs proceeded with what they were doing and loaded Michael up into the back of the ambulance that was headed to Haddonfield Memorial Hospital.

...x

Nicole sat in the corner of their own separate ambulance as Negan was made more comfortable. To their right Carl, Enid and Michonne mirrored their positions.

Negan turned his head to the side and looked at Michonne who was getting stitched up. "I'm going to talk your ear off on this fuckin' ride," he teased with a smile.

She managed a smile and shook her head. "Even with a stab wound in the back you still manage to be an asshole Negan... and an annoying one at that."

"You're not going to be talking that much," a paramedic argued with a grin. He put an oxygen mask over Negan's nose and mouth. "You lost a lot of blood."

Negan reached for Nicole's hand and gave her a wink, prompting her to smile.

"Do you think Dad's okay?" Carl asked Michonne.

She nodded. "The man who attached us was subdued." Michonne gave a warm, reassuring grin. "We're all alright now."

Carl swallowed hard and nodded by couldn't manage a smile back.

"Hey..." a second paramedic squatted beside Carl and Enid. "You're safe now." She handed them each a candy bar. "We'll make sure everyone gets to the hospital safe and sound. No one can hurt you anymore." 


	19. Crash

Hershel sat helpless in the back of Rick's police cruiser. He hung his head just slightly as Rick started up the vehicle.

"You don't know what you've done," he said in a quiet, honest tone.

"I've done my job." Rick adjusted the rear view mirror and the two men made eye contact.

"You're wrong." Hershel shook his head. "What you've done is put those people in mortal danger... and everyone else at the hospital."

"Shot twice..." Rick cocked his head to the side. "I doubt it."

"Well I hope you're not a betting man."

"What makes you think-"

"I was there in '78!" Hershel raised his voice. "I shot him six times that night... six times! And he just got up and walked away like it was nothing." He slammed himself back in the seat. "Two shots will do nothing. Those people... those people..."

Rick looked back and saw the deeply hurt expression on Hershel's face as he drew a hand over his forehead. He could see he truly believed it and thought of Michonne and Carl as they rode in the ambulance ahead of Michael Myers. They would be arriving simultaneously.

"Fine... damn it." Rick gritted his teeth and slammed a palm on the steering wheel. "Fine..." he looked at Hershel in the eye in the reflection again. "We'll trail them to the hospital in case you're right."

"I'll need my hands free... and my revolver back."

Rick chuckled. "I'll free your hands if you don't ask for your gun again." He continued to smile as the doctor grumbled, though his stomach dropped when he watched as the ambulance in front of them began to swerve erratically.

Hershel leaned forward as far as he could manage. "No..." he said quietly to himself.

Rick put the lights on and stepped more firmly on the gas pedal. A moment later the ambulance slammed into the one in front of it and both of the vehicles went parading off the road and through a collection of trees on the dark back road.

The first one rammed into the trunk of a tall oak while the second one rolled before coming to a halt some twenty yards away.

"Carl Coral!" Rick shouted and whipped the car to a halt on the side of the road. He threw the door open, prompting Hershel to scream for him.

"Let me out of here!" He shouted.

Rick flung open the back door and hurried to uncuff his hands, fumbling with the key for several seconds before Hershel's hands came free. He then proceeded to sprint through the edge of the woods as one of the ambulances caught fire.

"Carl! Michonne!" Rick drew his gun and made his way toward the burning vehicle first. "Carl!"

The fire took over the interior and exterior, providing no relief to the occupants. Rick stares wide-eyes for a moment unsure of which ambulance his family was in.

Rick felt tears creep into his eyes as he put his hands on his head as he stared into the flames.

"Dad..."

Rick whipped around and let his mouth hang open in a state of disbelief and wrapped his arms around his son as he approached him. Michonne limped a step behind him looking dazed but alert.

"Michonne." He spoke her name quietly and hugged Carl tighter.

"They need help Rick," Michonne said to him. She pointed toward the ambulance that had smashed into the tree.

He kept his arms around Carl for an extra second and then pulled her close, examining her face with his hand. "Are you alright?"

She swallowed hard and nodded and then glanced back at the disabled vehicle.

Rick looked at Carl for an extra second who reassured him that he was okay and then headed to the ambulance to find Nicole pulling Enid from the wreckage.

"Are you okay?" Rick asked them.

"We're fine." Nicole's voice shook as she wiped blood from her forehead and pointed to Negan who lay knocked out on his side still attached to the stretcher.

Before Rick could attempt to help Carl's shrill voice cut through the air. "Dad!" He shouted again, prompting Rick to look over his shoulder. His jaw dropped as Michael Myers rose from the flames of the second ambulance and began to pace in their direction.


	20. Old Friend

**So I took a longg break since my last update.**

* * *

Rick turned to face Michael Myers who began his slow, taunting march in his direction.

"Come on!" Rick waved him on as he raised his gun.

"Rick!" Michonne shouted his name.

Nicole watched as the ambulance they were in became engulfed in a wave of fresh flames.

"Negan.." she spoke his name as Enid tried to pull her back. Nicole's adrenaline easily allowed her to break past the young girl.

"Stay back!" Rick shouted as Nicole ran past him.

She didn't listen, scurrying on her belly to get to Negan who was starting to come to. Blood ran down both sides of his face and he highlighted his already injured body.

"Negan wake up," Nicole tapped his face, slapping at his cheeks as the flames grew more prominent around them. On top of it she had no idea where Michael was in relation to them. Nicole rushed to unbuckle him from the stretcher.

"Get out," Negan huffed, struggling as he clutched his side. He closed his eyes tightly as pain radiated through his body.

"I'm not leaving you." Nicole grabbed him under his arms. "Push with your feet!"

"Nicole-"

"Push with your fucking feet Negan," she shouted, prompting him to grunt and do as she asked, propelling his body back enoug in the direction they needed to go to get out of the burning ambulance.

Nicole used all of her strength, rising to her feet as they emerged so she could back pedal, towing Negan with her.

Michael turned his attention away from Rick and approached where Nicole and Negan were.

"Oh fuck," she cried out, knowing that she could never outrun him.

"Just fucking go," Negan ordered sharply.

"I'm not leaving you!" Nicole shouted back, "Rick!"

Rick trailed Michael Myers now, firing off a shot that landed in his shoulder though he kept walking.

The screams were all happening as a simultaneous chorus - Michonne and Carl for Rick, Negan at Nicole, Nicole for Rick to put Michael down; Hershel in the background screaming for his patient to stop.

None of it mattered as he closed in as Nicole rose up, looking for something to fight him off with.

Negan continued to plead, almost crying now for Nicole to get out of the way of the psychopath before them. She didn't listen. There was nothing, no force or threat, that would make her bail and leave him defenseless.

Just as she thought that was it for her Michael's body suddenly jolted forward in an unnatural way. His chest heaved once and a damp, wet patch appeared in the center of his chest.

Nicole's jaw dropped when she saw the head of an arrow emerging from the wound and Michael dropped to his knees, clutching his chest.

Everyone froze and Rick let out one more shot to the back of his head that left Michael face down in the dirt in the woods. An arrow stuck out from his back and he lay motionless now.

"What the fuck?" Nicole huffed the words out, saying what everyone else was thinking.

Rick looked over his shoulder and saw a man standing by a small clearing. His hair was shaggy, hanging in front of his eyes and he stood with a bow in his hands.

"Who's that?" Nicole spoke aloud to no one in particular.

"Daryl?" Rick asked, taking one step in his direction.

The man stood there, looking around st the chaos like it wasn't the first time he'd seen it. He reached for another arrow and emerged fully into the clearing.

"Holy shit." Negan tried to sit up but laid back down instead.

"Are you okay?" Nicole hovered above him, encouraging him to lay back down. She ran a hand through his hair.

"Daryl Dixon." He huffed a breathed. "He just saved our lives."

"Who is he?"

"An old friend," he spoke, closing his eyes. "Myers killed his sister.. back then."

"What?" She breathed the question and looked over her shoulder as Daryl and Rick began a quick exchange.

Daryl then trekked past him and approached where Michael Myers laid only to shoot another arrow into the center of his back.

Michael didn't move, still motionless on the ground. Daryl then spit on his body and looked up at Nicole and Negan.

"Shit. Look what the cat dragged in." Daryl looked at Negan and didn't hesitate, picking him up over his shoulder.

"Don't-" Nicole began as Negan groaned.

"He's alright." Daryl waved her with him. "We gotta get everyone out of here before he wakes up."

"Wakes up?" Nicole shook her head. "But you-"

"He ain't dead." Daryl marched up a hill, seeing Rick, Michonne and the kids doing the same across the way as Hershel greeted him.

When they got to the road Daryl set Negan down flat on the ground and took a series of breaths.

"Thank you for saving our lives," Nicole thanked him.

"Well it's the least I can do for an old friend." He looked at Negan who managed a smile.

"Fuck.. it's been awhile."


	21. The Hospital

"I got a truck over here." Daryl pointed, glancing over as everyone else joined them.

Rick and Daryl exchanges a quick hug and he motioned to his vehicle.

"Hope you don't mind ya breaking the law and putting half of these people in the back of a pick up," Daryl said to him. He shook his head, a small smirk on his face. "I heard you were a cop now."

Rick managed a small smile back but motioned to the truck. "I need to call in for backup."

They made their way to the truck with Hershel looking the most uneasy. Rick could tell what he was thinking without him having to say it.

"Get him into the front seat," Daryl motioned to Negan. "You need a fuckin' doctor."

"I was on my way," he choked out, the adrenaline wearing off. Negan closed his eyes and Nicole helped him into a seated, slightly declined position in the front seat.

"You don't look good," she told him, running a hand through his hair, blood coating her fingertips.

"Well, shit, honey that's the first time you've said that." He smiled but closed his eyes.

"You need a doctor Negan." Nicole echoed Daryl. "We have to go." She looked at him again, resting in the front seat. He appeared as if he was sleeping already and it freaked her out. "Negan!" He opened his eyes. "Stay up. You have a head injury. You need to stay awake."

Everyone else piled in the bed of the truck and Nicole hopped in the small back seat. She heard Rick calling for back up and Hershel explaining to him that Michael Myers wasn't dead - that he couldn't be dead. She was starting to believe it and a shiver went down her back.

"How do you two know each other?" Nicole asked, both attempting to keep Negan talking and alert, and genuinely interested. She had no idea who the man was that had sprung out of the woods and saved their lives.

"We go back to elementary school," Negan responded. "This is Daryl Dixon. Partner in crime for all kinds of shit."

"Yeah.." he agreed shortly.

"How did you know where to-"

"I heard he was let out," Daryl explained. "Knew he was headed here and so I headed here, myself." He looked over at his friend. "You're fuckin' lucky."

"I know." Negan agreed. "I owe you one."

"You owe me more than one."

Negan chuckled.

Daryl thought about it for a moment. "You can owe me that Harley of yours. That'll about call it even."

"Fuck no," he grumbled with another laugh.

"I'm Nicole." She would have normally extended a hand but Daryl was driving. "Thank you so much."

"You got some balls standing in front of him the way you did." He looked to Negan, "She your girl?"

Negan cleared his throat and Nicole waited for his response. "Yeah.. she's my girl."

"You put up with his shit?" Daryl asked.

"Just get me to the hospital dickhead."

...x

Negan laid in the narrow hospital bed after being treated and evaluated, a monitor beeping beside him to keep tabs on his heart rate. Bandages covered parts of his head and he had multiple areas that had been stitched up.

Nicole sat beside him. "I'm so glad you're okay. I really thought... I don't know." She stopped herself so she wouldn't get emotional.

"You thought I was fucked," he finished, attempting to make her smile with his nonchalant wording. Normally it would have helped but Nicole was still shaken.

"Three times I thought you were going to die."

"I didn't."

"I know." Nicole reached for his hand. "I.. I love you Negan. I do. I know we started this off as casual and I know what we've done might have been wrong in a lot of ways, but-"

"I love you too, Nicole."

Nicole's face went white and she swallowed hard. "You do?"

"You're surprised?" He asked.

She didn't know how to answer. When Negan had more formally asked her out upon his official separation from his wife she knew it was a good sign; a step in the direction she had hoped for. Nicole wasn't exactly sure if he felt as deeply as she did.

"I thought you liked me enough to-"

"I want to be with you, Nicole. After all this shit.. and just being around you, being with you as much as we have. I don't get sick of it. I crave it, baby. I want you and only you. I want us to be together."

Nicole let a small smile creep onto her face. After nearly dying it was almost impossible to do but Negan found a way. "Really? You want this?"

He nodded. "Yeah." Negan squeezed her hand, "You were about to take on Michael Myers to save me, doll." He grew more serious, "I would be a fucking idiot to let you go."

"So am I your permanent dog watcher then?"

He laughed out loud but quickly grabbed his side and she began to apologize. "Yeah. I say you ditch that apartment of yours and just... watch him permanently."

Everything in that moment was moving so fast and Nicole was completely on board. "You want me to live with you?"

Negan nodded.

"This isn't the meds talking is it?" she teased, beginning to cry as she looked at him.

He chuckled, "No.. but either way aren't you supposed to be more honest when you're buzzed.. or high.. or drunk or whatever?"

Nicole nodded and wiped stray tears that began to fall. "I'm glad you're okay."

Negan let his arm drift out to the side and pulled her in for a hug, kissing her temple. "I'm glad you're okay too," he said honestly. "I wonder what happened to that mother fucker when we left the woods."


	22. Patient Confidentiality

A nurse entered the room and approached Nicole with a stethoscope around her neck.

"Can I take your blood pressure again?"

Nicole rolled up her sleeve and nodded as the woman wrapped her arm with the cuff.

"Honey we just ran from a fuckin' murderer," Negan said to the nurse. "If her blood pressure isn't elevated then I'd say there's a problem.

The lady smiled but proceeded to do her job. Nicole sat calmly beside Negan and waited for her numbers.

"136 over 78. Nothing of great concern." She unhooked the cuff. "The doctor will be-"

"Did they take Michael's body in?" Nicole interrupted.

"I don't know." The nurse looked over her shoulder as a doctor entered the room.

"Is everything okay?" Nicole looked to Negan, wondering what was going on.

"Everything is fine," the doctor assured them with a smile. He folded his hands together.

"I'm not dying am I doc?" Negan asked, half-kidding.

"No your injuries are non-life threatening."

A silence fell upon them for a moment, leaving everyone is a small bout of suspense as they waited to see why the doctor had returned.

"May I have a moment to speak with you out in the hallway?" He motioned to Nicole.

"Me?" Her stomach dropped. She could tell by Negan's body language that he was suddenly on edge.

"What's going on?" Negan asked him, though Nicole rose to her feet, squeezing his hand.

"I'll be right back." She kissed his knuckles, wondering if the doctor had information about Negan or if it was about Michael. Regardless, she walked by the nurse with heavy feet and a knot in her stomach. Nicole wasn't sure she could take anymore that night.

When the door to Negan's room clicked shut behind them Nicole eyes the doctor in the empty corridor.

"Is there something wrong with him?" She asked. "Please just-"

"No. He's fine and he'll be fully healed within a month or two tops."

A weight felt like it had been lifted from her shoulders but she could see he had something serious to tell her.

"Is Michael in this hospital?"

"I don't know." He shook his head.

Nicole shook her head. "Did something happen? Are the others okay?"

"I brought you out here for patient confidentiality. It's about the blood work we took." The doctor cleared his throat. "Are you.. are you aware that you're pregnant?"

Nicole felt her stomach drop again. "What?" She shook her head.

"The type of trauma you've been through can potentially affect the fetus. We'd like to-"

"I'm not.. I mean I.." Nicole continued to shake her head and ran a hand over the top of her hair. "Are you sure?"

"Blood work doesn't lie." He gave a shy, closed-mouth smile. "If you agree to it I'd like to get you to the maternity wing.. just for an ultrasound. Your blood pressure was good considering.. but we would like to see it go down some."

Nicole couldn't tell if her face was deep red or pale white. She felt frozen.

"Take your time to think it over," the doctor told her. "You can go back in the room here to stay with him. I just.. needed to inform you about your blood work."

"Thank you." She stood there a moment, seemingly millions of things running through her mind.

He nodded. "I'll be back after I visit a few other patients."

Nicole swallowed hard, staring at the wall in front of her before staring as he disappeared down the dark hallway.

She breathed in a few times before ducking back into Negan's room, who glanced at her when she entered through the door.

"Page us if you need us," the nurse said to them.

Negan's eyes never left Nicole's as she slowly made her way to his bedside. He could tell that whatever the doctor had said had affected her in some way.

"I'm not dying am I?" He joked.

"No." She smiled and felt tears leave her eyes for the first time.

Negan sat up straighter in the bed. "Something's wrong." He looked her up and down. "Are you okay?" He emphasized the you.

Nicole had no idea how he would react or feel. She didn't even know how she felt.

"Shit." More tears fell from her eyes and she shook her head.

"Did someone else die?" He asked.

"No." Nicole cleared her throat and got herself together. "No it's.. no.."

"Is Myers here? Is he dead? Alive?"

"It has nothing to do with Michael Myers." She sucked it up and decided to stop being a coward, leaving him in a guessing game. "I, uh... the doctor told me that in my blood work it showed that, um.." Nicole closed her eyes and reopened them. "Negan I'm pregnant." 

He stared at her for a second and then dropped his eyes to her stomach. Negan looked back to her.

"I thought you were gunna say you had some fuckin' deadly disease or some shit." He huffed a breath and laid his head back on the pillow. Negan looked her in the eyes again. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Yeah.." Nicole couldn't get a read on him until a chuckle left his mouth.

"I can't say I'm overly surprised." He raised his eyebrows.

"What? I'm still.. I don't know what to do right now. I'm not even processing.." Nicole put a hand on her forehead.

"Well we've been fucking like rabbits." Negan snickered.

"You're not mad? Upset? Something?"

"Well I'm sure this isn't gunna sit well with my soon-to-be ex-wife." Negan reached for her hand. "But no.. I'm not mad. Are you mad?"

"This isn't how I thought you'd react." Nicole squeezed his hand. "I'm freaking out I'm not going to lie." She began to cry and laugh at the same time and Negan pulled her to him.

"We'll be alright baby." He kissed her forehead.

"Thank you." She sniffled against him.

"For what?"

"For not being a jerk." Nicole looked up at him. "I'm glad you said all that other stuff before we found this out."

Negan grinned and placed a hand on her face. "After the shit we went through tonight this is like a breath of fresh air. I thought one of us was dying."

Nicole laughed, still crying. "I love you. Thank you Negan; for your reaction to this. It's better than mine." She dried her eyes. "We're having a baby."

Negan pulled her to him when she started crying again and kissed the top of her head this time. "I'm going to take care of you honey. Everything is going to be alright."


	23. Escape

A scream from down the hall made Negan and Nicole immediately look to one another and then toward the door.

Their wing of the small hospital was partially vacant and quiet.

"I'll go see-" Nicole started but Negan pulled her arm back.

"No." He shook his head. "Just stay here."

"What if something happened?"

"That's the reason I don't want you going anywhere."

Nicole looked back to the door when she heard the sound like a bunch of tools were being thrown onto the floor.

"What the fuck was that?" She said aloud. Her heart dropped now and she looked to Negan who was so laid up in the hospital bed hooked up to monitors. There was no way he could actively fight back if need be. His ribs were broken, a large gash had been patched up on his back and the head injuries he sustained were enough to make her worry.

"I have to see what's going on." Nicole headed toward the door and Negan raised his voice.

"Nicole stop!" It was more of a plea than a command and he began pulling at the IV on his arm, detaching himself the best he could.

She was about to open the door though through the small, rectangular window she saw a nurse pass by, stumbling backwards with fear in her expression. Before Nicole could attempt to help she saw Michael next as his hands reached out, grasping the middle-aged woman by her neck.

"Oh fuck." Nicole slunk down below the window and rushed to Negan who was struggling to get out of the bed. "He's here. He's here!"

"What?"

"Michael," she explained. "Fuck, Negan." Her eyes landed on the oversized windows and Nicole was suddenly thankful they were on the first floor. "Come on!"

"Go," he urged, still attempting to escape the confines of the hospital bed. Negan kicked at the metal railing, wincing as he did.

Nicole helped him up and a loud thud at the door made them both look over their shoulders.

"Shit!" Nicole's jaw dropped when she saw Michael's face in the window as he pounded at the glass with one hand and tried furiously to open the door with his other.

"Just fucking get out of here!" Negan shouted now at Nicole who hurried to the window with him under her arm.

"Shut up." She tugged at the window, flinging it open and pulled at Negan's hands as she propped herself onto a small ledge.

The door to their room burst open, wood chips flying into the air as Michael broke through the door, leaving the metal lock shattering the wood all around it.

"Come on," She hoisted her body through and Negan made his escape just behind her, running to the best of his ability despite his intensive injuries.

"I can't keep up honey," he huffed out as she began to dial 9-1-1 while they ran.

Michael hadn't been stopped by the window. He wasn't far off their heels.

"Go get help!" Negan said, slightly angrily.

"I'm not leaving you."

"It's not about you.. or me! Think of the baby and fucking get out of here."

Nicole continued to help him along, thankful when she spotted a lone cop car on the far side of the back lot.

"Help!" She shouted, waving her arms.

Negan looked back at Michael closing in on them and stopped as Nicole started her trek to the car. She hadn't realized that Negan failed to follow her.

"Come on motherfucker." Negan waved his hands toward him.

Michael walked tauntingly in Negan's direction, not bothering with Nicole anymore and that was his intention.

He couldn't do much to defend himself. The pain meds still had him slightly off, he was stitched up, his ears were ringing.

Michael seemed to study him for a moment before sending Negan to the ground with one quick movement of his hand.

Negan smirked up at him from the ground. "You are such a pussy."

Michael leaned down and placed his hand over his throat and laid on the pressure.

"Michael!" Hershel's voice interrupted him and Michael's head suddenly sprung up as he stared at his doctor.

Nicole shouted now as she came to realize what was going on behind her. "Negan!"

"Let him go Michael," Hershel asked calmly. "Michael.. let him go."

Negan couldn't breath. No matter what he did it didn't make Michael stop. He hit his arms and tried to catch his face. Nothing worked.

"Please," Hershel begged, willing Nicole to stay back with his hand without breaking his stare with the serial killer before him.

"Michael!" Nicole shouted, prompting him to look in her direction. She raised a gun she had retrieved from the dead officer in the car and didn't hesitate when Michael kept pressure on Negan's throat. She fired the first shot landing it on his shoulder and sending him staggering back. The second one left a similar reaction with the third and fourth missing him completely.

"Come on," she whispered under her breath. The next shot barreled through his chest, leaving him on his back though Nicole wasn't going to assume he was dead.

Hershel rushed to his former patient's side and Nicole hurried to Negan who managed to catch his breath again.

"Hershel!" Nicole shouted. "Hershel please.. get us out of here!"


	24. Happy Ending

Nicole and Negan found themselves back in a hospital room with promise that Michael Myers was long gone from the town of Haddonfield.

Rick confirmed the transport of Myers's body from Haddonfield Hospital to a morgue several towns away.

Hershel remained, looming the halls and continuing with his deserved conspiracy theories of Michael's current status, though when word arrived that the body had arrived without incident to the morgue at the neighboring hospital he let his guard down just slightly.

Nicole ran her hand through Negan's hair as he laid even more banged up than he had been before. His elevated blood pressure had her slightly concerned though she was certain they were finally in a place to recover safely.

"If he comes back I think I'm gunna throw in the fuckin' towel," Negan grumbled, clearing his throat and opening his eyes to look at Nicole.

"He's not coming back." She brushes his hair back again and leaned in and kissed his forehead.

Negan's eyes closed briefly and then reopened. "You should get looked at too."

"I have," Nicole told him, "And you're never going to throw in the towel as long as I'm around." A barely-there smirk decorated her face and Negan smiled wide for the first time since returning to the hospital bed.

"That's why I need such a feisty chick."

She snickered and looked down, then back up. "I'm glad you're okay."

"You are so badass," he said, still grinning. "You took on that big fucker and lit him the fuck up." Negan held her eye contact. "You saved my life.. again."

Nicole linked her hand through his. "We haven't even had a formal date yet.. and I'm pregnant. How fucked up is that?"

He snickered. "Honey.. I feel like you were tailor-made for me. This is going to be fine."

She couldn't help but smile. "What about.. everything? Lucille.."

"I told you where we stand," Negan reminded her. "We split up. We'll be properly divorced soon. I can't imagine her sending us a congratulatory card." He shrugged, "But do we really give a fuck?"

Nicole shook her head and he squeezed her hand.

"Who's here in the hospital with me right now?" Negan went on.

"I love you," was all Nicole could say, prompting him to reach up, touching her face and then accepting a series of kisses as she leaned down to him.

"I love you too, doll." He sighed, "And when all this shit gets back to normal you have to get rid of that damn lease of yours."

Nicole smiled and kissed him again. "Okay."

..x

Several days later after a collection of tests Negan was released from the hospital and hopped in Nicole's car as she waited for him outside the front doors.

For a moment they just sat there together in silence seeming to reflect on the nightmare for the first time.

"When we can afford it," Negan finally said, "We should move the fuck out of this place."

Nicole stared out the windshield into the overcast afternoon, staring at the nearly bare trees. "You grew up here... I grew up here."

"Do you want our kid to grow up here?" Negan turned and looked at her, challenging her with his eyes.

Nicole didn't know what her answer was. She didn't want to let Michael Myers define their town but the reality was he had long since claimed it. She didn't want her son or daughter to ever have to experience the horror she had days before.

As they began the drive home it was like nothing had happened - like Haddonfield has completely put the pieces back together in a matter of hours and Halloween night was all but forgotten.

Negan glanced out the window as they slowed near some roadwork being done. Rick Grimes held a hand up to slow their vehicle down and held Negan's stare when he realized it was them.

The two men exchanged a nod and Nicole kept the car rolling, leaving Rick behind to do his job and heading toward Negan's home.

"Hey.." He leaned forward when he saw Daryl exit a little package store, a six pack of beer in his hand. "Pull up over here."

Nicole edged to the side of the road by the town green in the quaint downtown area, causing Daryl to stare them down before he could make the short walk go his own car.

Negan rolled the window down. "What the hell are you still doin' in town?"

He cleared his throat. "Stickin' around. Gunna stay with my brother Merle for a bit while I figure shit out." Daryl went on, "I came to see ya in the hospital but you were asleep. You looked peaceful, like an ugly baby or somethin' so I didn't wake you up."

Negan began to laugh and his old friend cracked a smile. "Since you're hanging around we should go get a beer some time. Soon. Catch up."

Daryl nodded. "Yeah we should." He gave a wave to Nicole. "Keep him in line."

She smiled and nodded. "I'll try."

"You know where I live. Stop in whenever the fuck you want," Negan added. "We're gunna need to fill the table for Thanksgiving."

"Alright."

Negan and Nicole both gave a wave and then made the trip home. When they entered in through the front door and stood in the living room both of them stood in silence.

There was still a short trail of blood that trickled near the doorway from Michael's assault on Negan and the baseball bat Nicole had used to defend him laid on the ground.

Negan hobbled over and picked it up, holding the bat by his face for a moment before propping it on his shoulder. He grinned wide, turning to look at Nicole.

"I guess I'd call this a happy ending baby."


End file.
